At Each Others Heads
by Antanaqui
Summary: Every one knew the new Heads of House would be Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger. What they feared was what would happened if they did. AU because of book 6
1. Another Year

Disclaimer: I don't hold rights to any of J.K. Rowlings work, all I've got is a brain that thinks too much, a lot of free time, and this plot line.

**Chapter 1: Another Year, Another Shopping Experience**

Shimmy

_Education, fornication, in you are, Go,_

_Education, subjugation, now you're out, Go,_

_Education, fornication, in you are, Go,_

_Don't be late for school again boy_

_I think me, I want life,_

_I think me, I want a house and a wife,_

_I want to shimmy- shimmy-_

_shimmy through the break of dawn, yeah._

_Education, fornication, in you are, Go,_

_Education, subjugation, now you're out, Go,_

_Education, fornication, in you are, Go,_

_Don't be late for school again girl_

_I think me, I want life,_

_I think me, I want a house and a wife,_

_I want to shimmy- shimmy-_

_shimmy through the break of dawn, yeah._

_I think me, I want life,_

_I think me, I want a house and a wife,_

_I want to shimmy- shimmy-_

_shimmy through the break of dawn, yeah._

_Indoctrination, of a nation,_

_Indoctrination of a nation,_

_Subjugation of damnation,_

_Subjugation of damnation?_

_Don't be late for school again boy,_

_Don't be late for school again girl,_

_Don't be late for school again boy,_

_Don't be late for school again girl._

Draco Malfoy turned up his Muggle radio as his favorite System of a Down song practically destroyed his ear drums. No one had to know he listened to Muggle music. It's just so hard to find good speed metal music in the wizard world. Everyone seem to want to listen to pop music now that made him want to hurl.

He walked over to his dresser to pick out his clothes for the day. He couldn't try to pull off going to breakfast in his boxers again. Narcissa, his mum, would murder him.

He picked out a black shirt (not that it's too surprising really since all his clothes consisted mainly of black) with "Are you stalking me? Cuz that would be great" sprawled across it. (A/N I saw my friend wear that shirt and cracked up, seeing as he had 3 girlfriends). Then he put on his favorite pair of baggy, chain-rattling, goth-style pants. They were black (of course) with red stitching and an insanely large number of chains and other metal things hanging off it. He wore them a lot so there was frayed fabric all over them. He combed out his platinum blond hair so there would be no tangles and skipped the gel that he was previously know for.

By now the song was over so he raced down stairs to get something to eat. The breakfast nook, if you wish to so call it, was just a small, dusty, common place dining room, and it smelled like eggs, bacon, pancakes, waffles, and his dad's tobacco, which, even though his father was now running off do Lord only knows what with Voldomort, still linger annoyingly regardless of all the cleaners the house elves applied. They used the "breakfast nook" for most meals because the larger, formal dining room was Hell to clean up.

"Hey mum," he said strolling in like he own the place, which was technically true with his father gone and all.

"Morning luv," his mother replied off-handedly.

"So what's my favorite mum in all the world doing that's got her so distracted," Draco asked while filling his plate with bacon and waffles. He couldn't stand pancakes and yet he loved waffles. It all had to do with texture, understand? He liked to eat food that was crispy. That crunched when you bit into it.

"Hrmm...what dear? Oh nothing, just reading a letter from a business investor..." she said, obviously far more interested in what she was reading then what he was saying.

"Darling dear Narcissa," he read as he passed by. "Definitely seems like important business." His mother turned a lovely shade of scarlet. He had known about her little affair with Marcus Parkinson for a while now, and he knew she needed somebody to care about her so he waved that little clause about fidelity in her vows this once.

"So we're going to Diagon Alley today to get my supplies, right?" This was going to be his 7th year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and he was sure it was going to be the best year yet (though looking back at his years there's nothing particularly wonderful to compare it to because that damned Harry Potter always got in the way) regardless of the fact Hermione Granger was undoubtedly going to be Head Girl this year. He was going to be Head Boy so she would have no power over him. He knew that because they had the two highest GPAs in the school; her above him because, as he grudgingly admitted to himself, she was the hardest working, brightest, and largest insufferable know-it-all the school had ever seen.

"Yes, of course, Draco dear, " Narcissa sighs.

In a Muggle house, in Muggle Greenwich

"MUM! DAD! WE'RE GOING TO BE LATE!" bellowed Hermione Granger. She put a quick charm on her hair to make it less frizzy and untangled, but still just as poofy and untamed as it always was. Her face had grown softer and more unique to her over the summer, her teeth had been shrunk by Madame Pomfrey in her fifth year after Draco put a jinx to make them grow to beaver-size so now they were perfect and totally aligned, and her body grew more voluptuous as well. Basically, now she was hot.

She had a maroon spaghetti strap with a zip-up hoody that was brown a shade lighter than her hair over it and half way zipped and loose fitting, low-rise, faded jeans. Her makeup consisted of smoky eye shadow, eye liner, mascara, and red-tinted lip gloss to make her lips shine.

She checked herself in the mirror and made sure nothing was messed up before applying a small charm to keep her hard work from fading or smearing. It was a lot of little magic, but she had yet to get punished by the Ministry for it.

She and her parents were heading to Diagon Alley to get stuff for her next year at Hogwarts. The reason she was worried they would be late was because Harry and the Weasleys were supposed to meet them at the Leaky Cauldron before hand.

Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived, and Ronald Weasley were her best friends in the world. She had helped them foil Voldomort's plan on numerous occasions since she started school at Hogwarts. By now her face was nearly as famous as his simply by association. She had acquired his enemies too. Voldomort knew her, the Death Eaters wish they could just get their hands on her, and Draco Malfoy was a pain in her ass too.

Voldomort and the Death Eaters she could live with; they never really came in close contact with her. Malfoy on the other hand she couldn't.

He was much more in-your-face, much more real. He was the creepiest, foulest, and, unfortunately, sexiest boy in school. She hated to admit it, but he was. He was the insanely enigmatic sex magnet of the school. There were girls always chasing after him, Pansy Parkinson especially. There wasn't one girl, and certain members of the guys, that didn't want him. Except of course Hermione.

He called her Mudblood, he had tormented her all through out her past 6 years at Hogwarts, and he loved to jinx and hex her to no end. In other words, he was a jackass. There wasn't one time that she could call to memory that the very sight of him induced her to flip out. She simply could. not. stand. him. He was what had tainted all her years in the magic world and all because she wasn't a pureblood and was best-friends with Harry.

Now back to the story at hand.

They had arrived at the Leaky Cauldron and were greeted by her friends with hugs and 'How was your summer?'s. They went inside and caught up on all they had missed during the break.

"We visited Charley in Romania, and I got to ride a dragon!" Ron was saying. "It was a huge Mongolian Ridgeback. I think it was even bigger than the one you went up against in the Triwizard Tournament, Harry!"

"Yes, but I doubt it was nesting, which was the true challenge in what Harry did,"' Hermione stated matter-of-factly. "Nesting mother dragons are notoriously violent and protective of their young against anyone who comes near their nest."

"We know, 'Mione," they replied almost tiredly at her usual statement of fact. She always took everything so literally and seriously. When was she going to lighten up?

Last year, Hermione and Ron went out for a while, but it just didn't work out so Hermione broke up with him a little while before summer started. He seemed to be okay with it now. After last year and all the craziness with Voldomort arising again, she just couldn't stand the pressure of having a boyfriend at the moment (especially one as high-maintenance as Ron). At the time, he through a major fit and Harry had to calm him down. He insisted there had to be someone else, which of course there wasn't. Harry on the other hand understood my reasoning and promised he'd help him get over it. Ron was still in a huff about it two weeks later when school ended. He hadn't mentioned it once since they'd been here, so Harry must have really helped.

Harry had spent his summer the Weasleys and seemed to be just the same as when she left him. The Order was now recruiting kids their age to see if they could catch any Junior Death Eaters at work, so of course Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were on that list. The problem was most Death Eaters came out of Slytherin, and it was exceedingly difficult to recruit from that house, which made Snape work in over time. They had grown to trust him over the past two years; he had proven his worth on more than one occasion. Though they were official members of The Order, they were still kept out of the meetings and Mr. Weasley put sound barriers that even Extendable Ears couldn't breech around the room.

They were walking around looking for supplies (by this I mean Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny; the parents had gone off to discuss how each others worlds worked, again), and they walked into the apothecary's to pick up their stuff for NEWT Level Potions, which was required to become an Auror, when who should walk in but Draco Malfoy.

"Hail Ferret-boy, King of Snobs!" yelled all four of the friends.

"Well if it isn't Mudblood, Scarface, the Red-haired Blunder, and the littlest Weasel. Looking particularly insane this year Weasley. Did Hermione break up with you or something?" he sneered, and no matter how Hermione tried to deny in he was probably even sexier this year because the no-gel thing really suited him. Ron by this time was furious.

"If I wasn't so sure you'd be Head Boy this year, I would have hexed you to oblivion by now," he said through clenched teeth.

"If I wasn't so you were completely incapable of that, I would have been scared," Draco drawled. "So Mudblood, we'll be the Heads this year obviously, so I'll expect you to keep you idiot friends in line. Won't you be a dear and grab me that Wolf's Bane?" He pointed to a shelf he could easily reach while sliding his arm around her waist.

SLAP!

Hermione turned on her heals and, having already paid, left the shop with Malfoy still rubbing the red mark shaped like her hand.

_Oh Merlin! She did it again! That bloody bookworm hit me again. Where did she learn to hit like that? But I got to admit she does look really cute when she's pissed...Bad, Draco, bad. You can't think of the Mudblood that way! She hates you after all...but that could be easily fixed...no bad brain..._Draco thought to himself. _This is definitely not a good sign._

Down the street Hermione was still fuming, not to mention bright red. "The nerve of that creep! Can you believe him? Sticking his arm around me! Ugh! Yuck! Now I'm going to have to take like 20 showers when I get home!" she ranted. "How am I supposed to work with a guy like that?"

"I swear that if Harry wasn't holding me back, I would have murdered him!" Ron joined in.

"I'm sorry if he offended you, Ron. That was really heartless of him. Let's go finish our shopping and forget about it," Hermione said, back to her usual self.

A/N Please Review. This is my first story so I'll take all the help I can get.


	2. Dreams and Unwanted Announcements

Disclaimer: I hold no rights to J.K. Rowlings works, never have never will...and that makes me sad a little.

**Chapter 2: Dreams and Unwanted Announcements**

**Whisper**

_Catch me if I fall_

_Say your here and it's all over now_

_Speaking to the atmosphere_

_No one's here and I fall into myself_

_This truth drives me into madness_

_I know I can stop the pain_

_If I will it all away, if I will it all away_

_Don't turn away_

_Don't the pain_

_Don't try to hide_

_Though their screaming your name_

_Don't close your eyes_

_God knows what lies behind them_

_Don't turn off the lights_

_Never sleep never die_

_I'm frightened by what I see_

_But somehow I know_

_That there's much more to come_

_Immobilized by my fear_

_And soon to be blinded by tears_

_I can stop the pain_

_If I will it all away, if I will it all away_

_Don't turn away_

_Don't the pain_

_Don't try to hide_

_Though their screaming your name_

_Don't close your eyes_

_God knows what lies behind them_

_Don't turn off the lights_

_Never sleep never die_

_Fallen angels at my feet_

_Whispering voices at my ear_

_Death before my eyes_

_Lying next to me I fear_

_She beckons me shall I give in_

_Upon my end shall I begin_

_Forsaken all I've fallen for_

_I rise to meet the end_

'_And so I return to Hogwarts...'_ Hermione thought to herself while waiting to be joined by the Head Boy, who just had to be Malfoy. She had listened to her Evanescence CD before heading out and now the last song was stuck in her head. Not that it was a bad thing mind you, she loved all the songs in it.

Finally, 15 minutes after the train had left the station, Malfoy entered and sat down across from her.

"Granger," he drawled inclining his head ever so slightly.

"Malfoy," she said and started staring out the window to watch the green fields and trees race past the window faster and faster as the train continued to speed up.

Draco observed her while she totally and completely ignored him. She was just as she looked in Diagon Alley, and, as much as he hated to admit it, she barely had left any of his conscious thought since that nice slap she had left on his cheek. The woman sure was stubborn. Any other girl would have just blushed and giggled then done what he wanted; she was the only girl he couldn't have, not to mention she was the one he thought he definitely didn't want...until now. Now she seemed very appealing, and he had all the time in the world to get her to see things his way. Unfortunately he wasn't a very patient man.

"Granger, you know you like me. Why don't you just admit it?" he drawled.

"Like Hell! I wouldn't touch you any way except to cause damaged unless you were the last wizard on Earth!" Hermione snapped.

"Oh stop lying to yourself," he drawled as he moved over to sit next to her and place his arm around her shoulders. "You know you want me; I saw it in your eyes when I saw you at the Apothecary's."

"Get. Your. Fucking. Arm. Off. Me." she hissed through her teeth.

"Your so mean!" he pouted, still not removing his arm from her shoulders, which earned him a glare and got him pushed off the bench. "Oof! Why'd you have to go and bloody do that?"

"Uh, _hello_, ever heard of something called personal space?" she asked with a large amount of sarcasm.

Ha, funny," Malfoy drawled with heavy sarcasm. "You'll give in eventually."

"Don't think that just because we have to share a dormitory that gives you free reign over my body!" Hermione yelled at him, fists clenched, indignantly.

"You say that now, Mudblood, but you'll come around eventually. They all come around," he stated. Something in his expression sent shivers down her spine. He got himself up off the floor without loosing eye contact with her. "I will have you in the end." He said the last with such assurance she felt her body temperature drop a few degrees. He turned and looked out the window with out so much as another glance, which disturbed her more than anything else he had said or done, but it wasn't the type of feeling that files under "bad thing are to come" it was more like an irritation when being ignored as if she truly wished this conversation to continue regardless of the fact he was basically Mr. You-Know-You-Love-Me and egotistical.

"I'm going to take a nap, and if I feel my personal space breeched, you will have the largest black eye that could ever grace your pale ass face! Wake me up when we have 45 minutes left before

the prefects' and Heads' meeting!" she said, after she just couldn't stand the silence one minute longer. Before she black out she thought to herself, _What is going on with me?_

_Hermione was dreaming. She knew she was dreaming because Draco wasn't being his dumb ass old self. In fact, he was acting really sweet._

_They were sitting on a couch that was in Slytherin's colors, while the walls of the room were in Gryffindor's colors. It was the incarnation of the inter-house relationship that Dumbledoor wished them to have, but then it also looked like a set for some cheesy Christmas movie. The couch they sat upon was directly in front of a crackling fireplace. There was two arm chairs on either side of the couch that were gold and silver striped and over-stuffed. Off to the left side of the couch was a staircase with an unusual weaving of snakes and lion's heads where the snakes wound around the banister and every time there was a space between the coils on the side there would be a lion's head. Then at a great window with a balcony the staircase separated into two staircases going in opposite directions, and from the balcony you could see two rounded tower rooms out to either side with bay windows._

_"So what would your father say if he saw you now?" Hermione laughed companionably._

_"If he saw me now, there would be no me for you to ask that to!" Draco chuckled and stuck an arm around her waist. She leaned into him and laid her head on his shoulder. She breathed in his scent. It was one she'd never forget or be able to associate with anyone else. It was a wonderful mix of vanilla musk and dark chocolate, sweet and bitter and warm. She wished moments like these would never end._

_Suddenly the portrait/door exploded._

Draco watched as she fell asleep. Some of her curls had fallen into her face and her chest went up and down slowing into a regulated rhythm. She looked so angelic and calm when she slept, there was even a little smile that grew across her face as she dreamed. _Why do I always have to make such an ass out of myself when she's around? It's against everything I learned as a Malfoy to even look at a Mudblood as anything other than dirt beneath my shoe. Oh well what ever Dad doesn't know can't hurt him._

He decided that she probably wouldn't notice if he got a blanket. He got up and retrieved one from the compartment above her seat. He carefully placed it on top of her and started to sit down in his seat when he noticed that something was holding him back. He looked down and saw her hand latched on to his shirt. He tried to remove her hand, but it was just wouldn't let go. "Stay with me..." she whispered in her sleep.

"Okay," he whispered back. "_Wingardian Leviosa." _He levitated her and slipped into the spot beneath her head and lightly brought her back down. She snaked her arms around his waist like you would do a pillow. He raised an eyebrow. _What was going on in that dream of yours? _he thought watching her while she slept.

After a few minutes of observing her, he turned to look out the window again.

"**DRACO!**" she screamed bolting up from his lap.

"What? You grabbed me," he said, misinterpreting why she had screamed.

"Huh? Where am I?" Hermione muttered under her breath. "Oh, thank the gods! It was just a dream..." Slowly the realization that she had just been asleep returned. As the dream had continued, it had come to seem more and more like reality until she completely fell into her dream as if that was really her. She never wanted to do that again because that dream had terrified her. "How long until the meeting?" She said as she got into her school robes; you can never be too prepared, you know.

"It will be in about an hour," Draco replied still a little afraid of being hurt. Why did she scream out his name, his first name none the less? It must have been one weird dream. Then the realization she had been dreaming about him kicked in. "So what did you dream about?"

"It's none of your business," she snapped a little defensively.

"Well seeing as it was my first name you screamed out when you woke up, I think it is my business," he drawled.

"Ask me no more questions, and I'll tell you no more lies," she replied without truly answering him. "I don't see why you would care what I dreamed about anyway. And in any case, you probably couldn't understand it if I tried to explain. I'd tell you about the first part with us in the dormitory and you'd start saying things that aren't true like, 'Aw, does the little Mudblood have a crush?' and wouldn't let me get to the reason I screamed."

"Why would I ask you if you had a crush on me? Now you've got me interested. I have to know, Hermione," Draco drawled as he stepped up behind her and placed his arms around her. At first she leaved into him and inhaled his smell, but then her common sense came back and she pushed him away and hugged herself.

"No, Hermione, bad! This isn't your dream, and he's still an ass!" she yelled at herself...out loud.

He spun her around and looked in her eyes. "I think you better tell me, Granger," he said, slightly breathless at the fire burned in her eyes. She had a spirit like no other and that's what drew him to her more than anything, but it also was what made her infuriatingly stubborn.

Just then Harry opened up the compartment door. "There you are, 'Mione!" he said smiling until he saw Malfoy's hands on her. "Get your paws off my 'Mione!" he growled.

"I don't think I shall," Malfoy sneered. Hermione shook his hands off and ran over to Harry and buried her face in his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him.

"What did you do to her?" Harry hissed while petting her hair to calm her down.

"We were just having a conversation. One that isn't quite finished, so if you'll please leave us," he drawled. He wouldn't admit it if his life depended upon it, but at the present moment he was jealous of the Pothead.

"Like Hell, I will!" Harry yelled. He turned to the girl in his arms and said softly, "Come on, let's get you out of there. You can have her back when it's time for the Heads' meeting." Then they left.

Draco stared at the door for a few moments then dropped his head into his hands.

"What did he do to you, 'Mione?" Harry asked her as they made their way to their compartment.

"I really don't want to talk about it right now. I'm sorry, Harry," she replied. _'And what would he think if I told him about that dream? No, it's best he doesn't know. At least not right now, though I do hate to lie to my best friend._

"Okay, if you're sure?" He didn't sound convinced. "If he hurt you in anyway, you know you could just tell me and we'd murder him in 2 seconds flat."

"Yes...I know that, but I want to deal with him on my own."

"Just don't get yourself expelled, okay?" Everyone in the school learned last year that Hermione was a force to be reckoned with, except of course Malfoy. During the constant short battles between the Dark Side and Dumbledoor's Army, she had taken out over 20 Death Eaters by herself. Now nobody had the guts to go up against her at school and that in itself is a reason to fear what will when Malfoy and Hermione took over the Heads' positions.

"Oh, I won't...You have to get caught first to get into trouble anyways." And those sentences also concerned him for that matter. She used to never stop thinking about what would happen if they got caught breaking rules, but now she could care less. This next year was going to be Hell for poor old Ferret-face.

"Gods, you worry me sometimes," Harry muttered under his breath.

When it was time for the Heads' meeting, Malfoy showed up to take her down to the Professor's Lounge. He couldn't help, but notice how much happier she was when surrounded by Harry, Ron, Ginny, Luna, and Neville. She smiled and laughed.

"You realize I still want to know what that dream was about, right?" he asked as they walked through the cars to the back of the train.

"You realize I still won't tell you, right?" she replied coolly.

"You'll come around eventually..." he drawled.

When she heard this she spun around on her heal and pointed her wand at his neck. "_Silencio!_" she commanded. Malfoy tried to speak and of course couldn't. "Now listen! If you repeat that, oh so annoying, phrase one more time, I will point a Shrinking Hex on you and the wand won't be pointing to you head, got it?" Malfoy swallowed hard and nodded.

Hermione opened the door to the Professor's Lounge, walked in, and sat next to Dumbledoor in the seat marked _Head Girl_. Draco took his and they waited for a few of the stragglers to show up, Ron and Ginny included. Finally when everyone was seated, the first Prefects and Heads meeting of the year commenced.

"Welcome back, students, welcome back. As first order of business, I would like everyone to know the new Head Boy and Girl are Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger. Congratulations to you both!" Everyone gave a respectful yet wary clap. "As you all know, security will be tight this year as the attacks by Voldomort," a few people cringed, "have become more frequent. There can be no wandering about the halls after 11 o' clock, except to you fortunate students, who are to make sure no one else is out of their common rooms. You will be given your patrolling schedule by your Head of House. No one is allowed outside the castle save the Head Boy and Girl after 7 pm, no exceptions. I will give you a parchment with your common room passwords as you exit, and I would ask Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger to stay here a little while extra for some special Head information. Thank you, and go patrol the train to make sure no one is acting up." He stood and handed each of the Prefects their common room passwords as they filed out.

"Now, Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger, we need to discuss a few things. First off, when you get done with the feast go to the Professors' Table and I will show you to your new dormitory. Now the password to your common room will be needed to kept secret from anyone outside your most trusted friends. You each will have a password to you own room and the stairs to your room. I will give you all the passwords you will need when we arrived at your portrait hole.

"Now, as you know, this year will probably be one of the darkest that Hogwarts has ever seen, so the staff and I thought it would be a good idea if we could have a few dance, the Yule Ball and a Valentines Ball and maybe even one for Halloween, that will be up to you. What isn't up to you, however, is who you shall be going to it with. Now don't start complaining to me, but this school needs a little unity. So we have decided that you two shall go together and so will all the Prefects. I'll need you to inform the others about this. All of you will work on the decorations together and the themes as well. The posters announcing the time and dates for the dances will be posted in the House common rooms. In order for the posters to go up I will need to know the attire and if we will have a dance for Halloween. This information will be needed as soon as possible, so that we can decide when the first Hogsmeade visit will be.

"Another thing and then you can go, will you two try not to kill each other this year? I would hate to have to explain two dead students to their parent's and the media. Thank you, and I will see you after the feast," finished Dumbledoor. By this time, both Draco and Hermione's mouths were opened and they stared dumb struck at the place where Dumbledoor had just sat. _I have to go to all the dances with HIM! This is so unfair, I demand a recount! _ Hermione thought furiously to herself. _But hey, at least he can't come into my room at night. And with a password on the stairs he can't even knock on my door to disturb me while I'm sleeping. It might not be so bad after all. He didn't say I had to stay with Malfoy at the dance. I can go off and meet someone else to spend the rest of the night with after we start the dance._

"So 'Mione, what did Dumbledoor want?" Ron asked when she returned to the compartment.

"Your not going to believe it! I have to go to all the dances this year with Malfoy!" she replied as she sat down across from Ginny.

"What!" all five of them exclaimed at simultaneously.

"That is so not fair!" Ginny ranted.

"I know, but Dumbledoor said it so I have to. I just hope he doesn't get any bad ideas because of all this," Hermione said, totally exhausted from all the shocks of the day. "I'll deal with it as it comes."

"Just remember, 'Mione, if he hurts you we're here," Ron said.

"Harry said that earlier, and I'll tell you what I told him. I can take care of myself. He can try to hurt me, but if he does he'll do it when no one's around. If he can't get caught, I obviously won't get caught when I retaliate," she replied with a smile that screamed, 'Get in my way if you feel a little suicidal'. None of them had ever seen her smile like that so easily, and it freaked them out.

"Are you okay, Mia?" Ginny asked cautiously.

"Oh, I'm just peachy, though Malfoy won't be once I get done with him," she assured her with the same wicked smile plastered across her face.

"So Harry, when is Quidditch practice going to start up again?" Ron said to change the subject.

Hermione decided to patrol the hallway since they were almost at the school to make sure everyone had their robes on. She found a few first years that had fallen asleep and hadn't gotten dressed yet, but for the most part everyone else had already gotten ready. Soon enough the train pulled to a stopped in front of her favorite place in the world, and on top of a hill just able to be viewed from her present spot, the castle of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry shown with the light of fires, candles, and torches to greet the students and proclaim the beginning of a new year.

A/N-Well there's the next chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.

**Caren H- **Thanks and yes I know about the typos. It annoys me, but they always show up somehow. One day I shall write a story with absolutely no typos, but unfortunately I'm not that good yet.

**IrishTrinity- **Thanks for the compliment! I'll update soon I promise.


	3. Stuck Together

Disclaimer: You know the drill. I don't own Harry Potter. I have this plot line, too much time, and a brain that won't stop working. Enjoy!

**Chapter 3: Stuck Together**

**Blue Monday**

_How does it feel to treat me like you do?_

_When you've laid your hands upon me_

_And told me who you are_

_I thought I was mistaken_

_I thought I heard your words_

_Tell me, how do I feel_

_Tell me now, how do I feel_

_Those who came before me_

_Lived through their vocations_

_From the past until completion_

_They'll turn away no more_

_And I still find it so hard_

_To say what I need to say_

_But I'm quite sure that you'll tell me_

_Just how I should feel today_

_I see a ship in the harbor_

_I can and shall obey_

_But if it wasn't for your misfortune_

_I'd be a heavenly person today_

_And I thought I was mistaken_

_And I thought I heard you speak_

_Tell me how do I feel_

_Tell me now, how should I feel_

_Now I stand here waiting..._

_I thought I told you to leave me_

_While I walked down to the beach_

_Tell me how does it feel_

_When your heart grows cold_

(A/N Don't have an excuse for the lyrics. I'm sorry chicka who reviewed saying you don't like the lyrics. I just got the idea when I started to pick out songs that apply to the story, but you don't have to read them if you don't want to.)

Hermione got off the train and made off towards the Heads' carriage. After killing those Death Eaters and watching them die she could now see the winged horses Harry and Hagrid mentioned in fifth year. She dreaded the ride to the castle, not because of the black demon-like horses, but because she would yet again have to face Malfoy. After the train ride she was worried he'd manage to get out the stuff about the dream somehow. He was after all the Slytherin King, and the Slytherin house's defining trait is there cunning.

She finally reached the carriage and slid in as quietly as possible, noticing he was staring out the window seemingly spaced-out. "So are you going to tell me or what?" he whispered in a low voice. Well so much for the "spaced-out" idea.

"I don't see why you care so much. It's not really a big deal anyway," Hermione mumbled.

"I still want to know, whether you think it's important or not," Draco said without turning from the window.

"Well, that's too bad because I have no intention of telling you."

"Why must you always be so difficult? It's a simple question. Friends tell each other their dreams all the time," he whined.

"There you go. Your answer is right there: friends tell each other about dreams and we are the farthest thing from friends. You are my arch-enemy, so considering that fact I have been more than flexible with my attitude towards you. I have been compliant with Dumbledoor's wishes for us to not bite each other's heads off, but I am quickly losing my patience. So if you please, I would like to sit and enjoy the ride back to my home without destroying it by letting some insensitive git pressure me into telling him some of my private business," she announced. This got his attention. He turned away from the window and locked into her eyes. In the fathomless pits of honey brown he found pain that didn't seem right in her beautiful face. Nothing that pretty should feel any pain.

"Okay, I'll drop it," he said. '_I shouldn't care if she's in pain. She's just a Mudblood. And she's not beautiful either.'_ Draco thought to himself.

'Stop lying to yourself. You know she's hot, even if she's a Mudblood,' another part of him argued.

'_She's is just a silly bookworm Mudblood who you have hated since first year,' _the other half insisted.

'You know you fancy her. Just admit it,' the defiant side replied.

'_Never,' _it said. _'I will never stoop low enough to like that filth. I am a Malfoy. I can get better than her.'_

'Why is he staring at me like that? It's unnerving. He could possibly like me? No that would never happen. We hate each other,' Hermione thought. 'Even if he did it's not like I'd care or anything. He may be the sexist boy in school, and second in our class, which means he's smart, plus he's probably got tons of muscles from Quidditch...stop right there Hermione! He's Malfoy! He cares about himself and that's it. He'll probably end up just like his father! You hate him, he hates you. That's the mutual relationship. Don't read too much into his looks. And remember, we still have to get our revenge.'

They sat there and stared at each other with freakishly similar thoughts until they felt the carriage jerk to a stop. They had arrived at the castle.

(A/N I originally wanted to put a line here, but the computer apparently doesn't agree with me.)

"Welcome, students, to a new year at Hogwarts!" Dumbledoor boomed. "I know you're all probably hungry, as am I, but first let's Sort our first years. Then afterward I have a few short announcements to make before we eat."

"Thank you, Professor Dumbledoor. Now first years when I call your name, step up and sit on this stool. I will place this hat on your head and we will see which House you are Sorted into. The four houses are: Ravenclaw a huge cheer from the Ravenclaw table, Gryffindor shouts and yells from their table, Hufflepuff also yells at the top of their lungs, Slytherin a huge hiss from their table. When you hear your House name, go and join them at their table. Let's get through this as soon as possible," Professor McGonagall explained.

"_Danger lurks around the bend,_

_Two worlds must we defend,_

_Join together if you wish to triumph,_

_Stand alone if you wish to fail,_

_There isn't enough time to dwindle,_

_If you are not brave enough turn tail,_

_For the path ahead is shadowed,_

_The future yet unknown,_

_Follow your heart truly,_

_Enemies forces are now grown,_

_These people beside you now,_

_They are you only hope,_

_If you do not befriend them,_

_You will not live long enough to cope," _ sang the Sorting Hat.

Soon enough all the first years were sorted into their Houses. Nine joined Hufflepuff, five joined Ravenclaw, 12 joined Gryffindor, and 10 joined Slytherin. Regardless of the cheer to be home again, the warning that was so openly given by the Hat brought a darkness over the pleasure of the Great Hall.

Dumbledoor stood and waltz over to the dais to speak. "Now, just to make sure everyone knows, the Forbidden Forest is, of course, forbidden. There will be no wondering around the grounds after 7pm except by the Heads, Professors, and me. Anyone caught wandering around the school after 11 o' clock will have detention and points docked from their House. So with that being said, TUCK IN!"

The Start-of-the-Year Feast ended all too quickly for Hermione's taste. Soon all the food had disappeared back down to the kitchens, everyone was going to their dorms and she walked to the Professor's table to be shown to her common room.

"Ah, Miss Granger and Mister Malfoy, if you will follow me." Dumbledoor turned around without even waiting for an answer and walked to the back wall where a door neither of them had noticed before waited. He walked in and started turning down a corridor, and up a spiraling staircase. The stairs seemed to go up forever before they finally reached a landing with a brightly lit hallway extending out about 50 feet before coming to an abrupt end. The hallway was lined on all sides by mirrors. There wasn't a painting in sight and the stairs ended there.

"Um...Professor? How will we know where the door is?" Hermione asked in confusion.

"It's quite simple really. All of these reflect you, but one, when looked upon by the right person, is an image of your true emotions in physical form. When you find that mirror and 'reflect' upon the image, the mirror will transform into a portrait of the four founders of the school. They will then ask you for the password and you may enter. The password is 'Ambition and Courage' when you find the right mirror return to me and I will give you the ones you will need to reach your rooms," Dumbledoor explained.

Hermione and Draco took the mirrors on either side of the wall and started searching. It took them three minutes before Hermione declared a little annoyed, "Found it!"

Draco walked over to the mirror she was looking in, and started. His reflection looked like a nervous little boy who slowly placed his arm around the reflection of Hermione who, a little grudgingly, kissed him on the cheek. 'Is this really how we're feeling right now?' he asked himself. 'I never have felt awkward or not wanted by a girl in his life, but I just don't know how to act around her.'

"Yes, she's right this is the one," he admitted and slowly a new picture started to form of four people sitting on a couch in front of a lit fireplace chatting happily.

"Password, my dear boy?" asked a picture of Salazar Slytherin.

"Ambition and Courage," Hermione replied.

"I asked this one, impudent little-" he hissed only to be cut off by Gryffindor's founder.

"Don't mind him. He's just a bit grumpy because I beat him at chess, again," Gryffindor chuckled. "Here you go, my dear. Hello Dumbledoor! How have you been, my good man?"

"Splendid! Now these are the new Heads for the year. This is Hermione Granger, and this is Draco Malfoy."

"A Malfoy, eh? Good pureblooded family, I approve," Slytherin proclaimed.

"Oh hush you! Both of them seem like wonderful children. You did a wonderful job at picking this year, Dumbledoor," said a plump lady with a jovial smile.

"Thank you, Madam Hufflepuff. They are good children...for the most part," Dumbledoor said to the lady. Turning to Draco and Hermione he said, "Here are you passwords. Hands them each a piece of paper. As I warned before, do not give these passwords to anyone unless absolutely necessary, and only to the people you would trust with your life. Your stuff is already upstairs. I will see you both soon." With that he turned and left them.

"Ladies first," Draco said, as he stepped aside to let her pass. She thanked him politely, lifted her robes off the ground and stepped inside.

When she stepped inside, it looked exactly as it had in her dream. She ran in, plopped down on the couch, and instantly felt as if she had always lived there. Everything about it seemed right somehow. "I'm home!" she proclaimed joyously.

"It does look perfect doesn't it," Draco agreed sitting down on an armchair. "Cold though... that's easily remedied though." He walked over to the fireplace, placed logs inside, and lit them.

"I'm going to go check what my room looks like," she said as she ran off towards the stairs. When she reached the split in the staircase, she turned right to see the stairs to her room marked with the lion on the railing. 'Hmm...I wonder what my passwords are.' she thought as she opened the paper Dumbledoor had handed her. It read:

_Your passwords are 'beloved' for the stairs and 'live and learn' for your door. This message will transfigure into a gold necklace when you are done reading it and re-fold it. Keep the necklace with you at all times. If you every for whatever reason cannot remember your password say 'brilliance' to return it to it's natural form. Fold it again and the necklace will return._

_Be Careful, Professor McGonagall_

Folding the paper as instructed, Hermione watched as the piece of paper changed into a necklace made of gold that had a lion's head pendant and inside the lions mouth was a blood red ruby. On the back, 'brilliance' was inscribed as a reminder. She placed the necklace around her neck for safe keeping.

She walked towards the stairs, which turned into a ramp as she approached. "Password?" roared the lion.

"Beloved," she whispered. The stairs instantly returned and she made her way up to her door, which happened to be a portrait one of the Head Girls of the past. Whispering 'live and learn' before even being asked, she entered her new room.

"Oh wow!" Hermione exclaimed at the site before her. Her room was in Gryffindor colors. The walls were painted scarlet. The bed was a four-poster king sized with a canopy of gold mosquito net material draped down over the bed. The comforter was a deep blood red with embroidered fleur-de-lis in the same shade so they were barely visible. There was pillows mounded by the headboard. A desk was in the corner to do her homework on, and a book-case for her to place all her books and pictures on. The dresser was against the wall with a mirror right above it. The was another door that could only lead to the restroom. A bay-window let in the light from outside to brighten the window and there was a seat for her to read upon.

She walked into the bathroom. It looked like a smaller, more personal, version of the prefect's bathroom. There was candles along the spa style bath and 10 different faucets to fill the tub with. There was a shower up against one wall and a sink and toilet against the other.

The whole layout was basically perfect. "Maybe this whole stuck with Malfoy thing won't be so bad," she said with a sigh and fell asleep.

**A/N- So there you go. That's the third chapter, I hope you liked it. I know it was rather uneventful, but it was needed to be said so I didn't have to go over it later.**

**DracoHermyarecute-Thanks for the compliment, and as for the lyrics, I totally understand. I used to not like them too, but now I do and so they will be used in my story. If you don't want to read them just skim over them. It's up to you.**

**Riley Malfoy-I'm glad you liked my story, and I hope to read more of yours soon too. Oh, and I'm happy you liked her outfit too.**

**Alyssium-Thanks for the support. I really appreciate it. I'll update ASAP.**


	4. Plans In Action

Okay, I know that it's taken me a while for me to get this up and written, but I've had writer's block so Lord forgive me.

**Chapter 4: Plans in Action**

**You Learn**

_I recommend getting your heart trampled on to anyone_

_I recommend walking around naked in your living room_

_Swallow it down (what a jagged little pill)_

_It feels so good (swimming in your stomach)_

_Wait until the dust settles_

_You live you learn_

_You love you learn_

_You cry you learn_

_You lose you learn_

_You bleed you learn_

_You scream you learn_

_I recommend biting off more than you can chew to anyone_

_I certainly do_

_I recommend sticking your foot in your mouth at anytime_

_Feel free_

_Throw it down (the caution blocks you from the wind)_

_Hold it up (to the rays)_

_You wait and see when the smoke clears_

_You live you learn_

_You love you learn_

_You cry you learn_

_You lose you learn_

_You bleed you learn_

_You scream you learn_

_Wear it out (like a three-year-old would do)_

_Melt it down (you're gonna have to eventually anyway)_

_The fire trucks are coming up around the bend_

_You live you learn_

_You love you learn_

_You cry you learn_

_You lose you learn_

_You bleed you learn_

_You scream you learn_

_You grieve you learn_

_You choke you learn_

_You laugh you learn_

_You choose you learn_

_You pray you learn_

_You ask you learn_

_You live you learn_

Hermione woke up around 12:45 PM that night and turn on her CD player. She wanted to think for a while and for some reason her Jagged Little Pill CD helped her think. 'How am I going to get him back for the train ride? Hexing him is always an old favorite...and what was up with that mirror? He can't genuinely care about me, can he? I mean he's Malfoy. He doesn't have emotion. Oh and not to mention the fact that my reflection actually gave him a kiss on the cheek! I'm never going to live that down. I can't even believe that that's how I truly feel about him. I mean I knew that I wasn't very comfortable and so the child-like image of me seemed right, but when he showed up and his reflection appeared, mine was reacting to him like a school girl with a crush! Well, I'll show him! I'll hex him until he doesn't know which ways up let alone that I might be starting to feel something for him!' she thought furiously. Little did she know that out her door and down the stairs, the person that she was planning on hexing was thinking about her as well and had heard her music turn on.

Draco stayed up that night in the common room thinking over and over again about what had happened on the train and between their reflections. What he couldn't seem to get over was it was his first name that she has screamed in her dream-terror, and as if truly in anguish over something to do with him. He wasn't sure whether what bothered him most was that she refused to tell him about the dream when he really wanted to know, or that he really wanted to know. '_I mean, why should a little Mudblood occupy my mind so completely?'_ he thought to himself.

'Because she's brilliant and beautiful and spirited and innocent and-" replied the back of his mind just to be cut off in defiance.

'_Bullshit! She might be the brightest witch of her age, but I do not fancy her.'_

'I never said you did,' stated his other half smugly.

"Bloody Hell," whispered Draco in realization. He now understood the simple truth: he wanted her. He wanted Mudblood Granger. _'It won't matter though. It won't matter because she isn't going to care. She's already made that perfectly clear,'_ his cynical side thought.

'Wait...what about the mirror? She was acting just like you: unsure and awkward and she kissed your cheek,' his generally logical side thought.

'She may fancy. It's all in her own mind, but we both know Cherry-top and Pothead would never allow it. Hell the Slytherins would hate it too. Face it, it's never going to work.'

And so his inner battle continued through the night, while Hermione sat in her room listening to angry chick music and thinking of new ways to hex Malfoy. By morning she was set and determined to owl the Weasley twins and get some prank stuff to set her plan into action. Draco had finally decided to ask Granger for a truce and see how things go from there. Thus both set out to accomplish very opposite plans, neither of which would turn out the way they wanted.

Later on just before breakfast-

"Oi, Ron! I need your help with something!" Hermione yell at Harry and Ron as they made their way down to the Great Hall. They stopped and waited for her to catch up.

"I never thought I'd see the day when Hermione Granger, smartest witch of our age, required my help. Are you sure you're not sick?" Ron asked, placing the back of his hand against her forehead.

"Ha ha, very funny Ron," Hermione replied with dripping sarcasm. "Well you see Ron, I'm planning on owling the twins for some supplies, and I need to know if what I want is already made or if it will have to be custom designed. You have that chart of their products and their uses still, right?"

"Ya, let's go check it out," he said, turning back towards the Gryffindor tower.

Meanwhile-

Draco sat down at breakfast and waited for Granger to show up. He hadn't seen her this morning, but she'd have to come down sometime to eat, right?

Right.

He was planning on asking her to meet him at the boulder near the lake and asking for a truce there. She just had to show up. Please, show up. If she didn't show up, then what would he do? He was fairly certain there was another way to win her over...he just couldn't think of it.

Finally after sitting in his spot for 30 minutes, eating almost nothing, Granger appeared at the doors of the Great Hall looking like she had just taken over the world. For some reason, the expression on her face made him afraid, very afraid. Was that witch possessed or something? Maybe he should rethink the truce. Although he had to admit, he really would prefer knowing that that spite in her face was not directed at him.

She walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat where she usually did, Pothead and Weasel in tow. They seemed to be discussing something that was exceedingly amusing because they cracked up in laughter that rang through out the hall. Just then her eyes shot a look directly at Draco that screamed, "You'll be dead before the day is up." It might be just him, but that look wasn't exactly very inviting. In fact he felt like avoiding her the rest of the day, but he couldn't because he had to offer truce. Once she accepted he wouldn't have to fear what glares like that might mean to his reputation or his sexy face.

Finally she exited the Great Hall without her lackeys, and he, as quietly and secretly as he could, followed. She hurried down the corridor in the general direction of the library. Since he was now fairly certain where she was headed, he took a short cut to the library. When he got there he went to the table in the back because he was fairly certain that it was dark enough to not be seen and also because it was the quietest corner in the room, so she would likely choose to sit at it to avoid interruptions.

Hermione entered the doors of the library and observed the room. There were a few first years trying to figure out some Transfigurations homework, a few forth years working on the recent Potions project, and a few random students wandering the stacks looking for books for personal interests. Basically the library was packed. 'Oh well, I better go to my usual table,' she thought as she made her way to the table in the farthest corner, not realizing that some one was already there and watching her approach. Without really looking around, she dumped out her book bag on the table. "_Lumos,_" she whispered and the tip of her wand lit up.

"Boo!" whispered the ghost-like image of...Malfoy?

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

"Miss Granger! Are you alright?" Ms. Pince asked running over to the back of the library...okay it was more like speed bustling.

"Yes, Ms. Pince. Granger here is just easily scared," Malfoy answered for her in an amused tone that made Hermione want to slap him.

"Well if you hadn't tried to terrify me I might not have screamed," she hissed.

"I just wanted to surprise you. I didn't think you'd be a ninny and scream at me," he drawled.

"I am not a ninny and you better be bloody happy that Ms. Pince is here to keep me from hexing you to next Saturday," she said, her voice getting higher as her blood started to boil from anger.

"Miss Granger, I would ask you to watch that mouth of yours and keep your voice down. There are students studying in here," said the old librarian in a huff.

"Yes, ma'am," Hermione replied softly, feeling slightly betrayed. Ms. Pince wandered off to see if any students needed help. "You insufferable jerk!" she whispered furiously.

"What did I do?" he asked with a smirk. 'God I hate that smirk! It's so infuriating!' Hermione thought. She stalked up to him and raised her hand, fully intending to slap him. When she was just about to take a swing at him, he grabbed her wrist with one hand and hooked the other arm around her waist. Before she was sure what exactly happened, she was sitting on his lap with both arms locked at her sides. "Now _why_ would you try to slap me? I'm fairly certain I haven't done anything to you...yet," he breathed into her ear.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" she said with as much venom as she could muster.

"Meet me down by the lake at sunset, over by the boulder on the west bank," he replied and inhaled her scent. 'She smells like cinnamon apples,' he mused.

"Did you just sniff me?" she asked slightly amused, then remembered smelling him on the train. She reflexively breathed softly through her nose to fill it with the smell of vanilla musk and dark chocolate. 'Oh this is not good, not good at all. I have to get away," Hermione thought, and started to struggle out of his hold.

"Just say you'll be there and I'll let you go." His hold never loosened and she had to admit that she was too week to get away by force.

"Alright, I'll be there," she muttered. He stood up with his arms still locked around her body, which forced her to stand up with him and be pressed along his body. She stayed stiff in his hold until he finally let her go.

'I can't wait to get revenge for this,' she thought as she exited the library doors.

**A/N- Hey guys! I hope you liked it! R&R please! I don't like begging, but I will if I have to. Please please please please review my story! Please!**

**Riley Malfoy- Thanks for the advice. I feel like such a ditz now!**

**Alyssium- I'm glad you liked the mirror thing, it was rather spur of the moment really.**

**green pea soup- Thanks for the review!**

**Caren H- Thanks and I'll update soon!**

**Love yas, Antanaqui**


	5. Insensitive

I'm bored, so I think I'll write a chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't hold any legal rights to Harry Potter, so just read and don't sue me...bitte, bitte schun!

**Chapter 5: Insensitive**

**Do What You Have To Do**

_What ravages of spirit_

_Conjured this temptuous rage_

_Created you a monster_

_Broken by the rules of love_

_And fate has led you through it_

_You do what you have to do_

_And fate has led you through it_

_You do what you have to do ..._

_And I have the sense to recognize that_

_I don't know how to let you go_

_Every moment marked_

_With apparitions of your soul_

_I'm ever swiftly moving_

_Trying to escape this desire_

_The yearning to be near you_

_I do what I have to do_

_The yearning to be near you_

_I do what I have to do_

_But I have the sense to recognize_

_That I don't know how_

_To let you go_

_I don't know how_

_To let you go_

_A glowing ember_

_Burning hot_

_Burning slow_

_Deep within I'm shaken by the violence_

_Of existing for only you_

_I know I can't be with you_

_I do what I have to do_

_I know I can't be with you_

_I do what I have to do_

_And I have sense to recognize but_

_I don't know how to let you go_

_I don't know how to let you go_

_I don't know how to let you go_

Hermione was studying her textbooks, for the 8th time, just to make sure she hadn't missed anything, quietly in her room with her Muggle satellite radio playing in the background, but she barely noticed it. She was too busy wondering how long it would take for Fred and George to make the customized prank things she had requested. She checked her Wizarding Weather Watch for the fifth time that afternoon. She had bought it for it's novelty at Diagon Alley the last time she was there, and it was proving to be quite helpful. Right now she was using it to tell what time the sun would go down. She had 19 minutes. She couldn't sit still any longer. She got up, turned off her radio, and started down towards the lake. 'I wonder why he wanted to meet me here of all places? And what was with that whole library thing? He just keep acting weirder and weirder. I don't think I'll ever figure him out, though I'm not really sure I want to...' she thought while going through the twists and turns of the Hogwarts corridors, not even needing to really pay attention to where she was headed because of the familiarity. Or at least that's what she thought.

Since she wasn't looking where she was going because she was so deep in thought, she didn't notice the body in her way until she rammed into it. "Watch it, Granger!" snarled a familiar voice, but she just couldn't think of it's owner for some reason, so she looked up.

"Zabini?" she said in a far away voice.

"What's wrong with you, _Head Girl_?" Blaise Zabini asked in a mocking tone. "And where are those idiotic cronies of yours? They aren't flanking your sides as usual." His face slowly turned into an evil grin as he seemed to get a delicious idea. "A beautiful girl such as yourself shouldn't be all alone like this. You never know what sleaze-balls might be wandering about." He lightly ran a finger down from her temple to her collar bone.

Suddenly very much aware of what this man was about to do, she tried to get away, but he grabbed her arm and swung her hard into his body and pushed her up against a wall. "What? You don't like me?" he whispered into her ear, so close she could feel the humidity of his breath on her earlobe.

"Please, don't do this. Just leave me alone," Hermione pleaded, as she slowly reached into her pocket to get her wand. The imbecile had forgotten to pin her arms down. He didn't notice the minute movements she was making. Pinning her to the wall with his body, he reached up and placed his hands into her cloud-soft hair. Leaning his head in, he smelled her with what could only be considered carnivorous enthusiasm, like a dog being handed evidence to sniff before it starts to track a suspect. Finally her hand gripped her wand and she didn't hesitate to pull it out and point it at his head, right in the cavity that led to his ear drum. "Let me go this instant or I'll cast the largest and most direct Confusius Charm that has ever been seen." Grudgingly he backed up and left. 'She will pay for that,' he thought as he trudged away.

'Well that was close! Now what time is it?- Oh no the sun went down 5 minutes ago! Malfoy'll think I'm standing him up!' she thought as she started to run. 'Wait a second! Why do I care if he thinks I stood him up?' She never slowed down, even as these thoughts ran through her head. She decided to not look too far into it because she didn't want to have to admit to anything traitorous, even if she was the only one who would know.

When she finally arrive, she was completely out of breath and collapsed, gracefully mind you, on the huge rock where Malfoy was sitting. As she tried to catch her breath, she arranged herself so that she was sitting in a manner that said 'Don't even ask', but, being Malfoy and not knowing when to leave well enough alone, he just had to ask, "What took you so long? I was going to leave in a minute."

"One...of your...Slytherin buddies...decided to see if he could...get any out of me, but I...got away...from the dumb git..."she gasped out as she tried to get control of her breathing.

"Who?" he asked in a dangerous tone. He didn't like that one of his own would do that to anyone, especially his girl...Did he just think of her as 'his girl'? Not good, not good at all.

"Blaise Zabini," she breathed.

That just made it worse. Blaise was supposed to be his best mate, and now he's going off doing this kind of shit? "Can you tell me what exactly happened?" he asked kinder than Hermione would have thought possible.

Finally having caught her breath, she started, "I was walking down the hallway, lost in my thoughts, when I bumped into him. He asked me where Harry and Ron were, and then got this annoying smirk across his face and told me that a beautiful girl like me shouldn't be wandering the halls otherwise some slimy git might get bad ideas. I tried to leave, but he caught my arm and slammed me against the wall and pressed his body to mine. Then the creep sniffed my hair, but by then I had my wand in my hand because the bloody idiot forgot to hold my arms. I thought he was smarter than that. Guess I was wrong. Well anyway, I pointed my wand at his head and threatened him. He let me go, so I ran down here to meet up with you."

"I just wish I would've been able to catch him in the act, so that I could have smashed his head in. Oh well, but that's nothing I can't do later when there's more people to humiliate him with," he commented, already having ideas running about in his head. That brought a smile to his face. "Although you can help if you want. I mean he did the offense to you, so you have that right. You could probably come up with some ideas that I would never think of."

"Thank you, and I do believe I would like to help. The man deserves what's coming to him. Now, what was it that you wanted? I mean I'm pretty sure that you wouldn't call me down here to just shoot the breeze, so what did you want with me that you couldn't tell me in the library?" she inquired, remembering how they came to be by the lake just after dark. Just then it hit her that since they were outside the castle and it was approximately 7:45 PM, they were pretty well guaranteed to be alone.

"I-I wanted...to ask you something..." he murmured, suddenly very unsure of himself.

"Well, get on with it. I would like to eat dinner you know," she pressured, rather surprised in his sudden turn of attitude. He couldn't possibly be nervous, could he?

"I, uh, do you want to-" he stumbled over his words as if he were Neville Longbottom.

"Hurry up! I have places to go and mail to receive." Of course comments like that made him even more unsure of himself. He had to count to ten and get his mind clear before he could speak again.

"Hermione, I want to call a truce. I know I've treated you lower than the dirt beneath my shoes for the past 6 years, but I would ask you to see past that. We need to get along this year, if just to complete our jobs as Heads. We could even continue to act as we always have in front of every one else, if that's what you want," he said finally. "I just want for you to have a chance to see the real me."

"After all you've put me through the 6 long years, you want me to forgive you just like that. Do you realize all you've done and how it effected me? Do you even have any idea? Why do you think I try so hard in school, huh? Because nit-wits like you make comments about me being a Mudblood! I do it to prove all you racists, chauvinistic, pureblood-obsessed prats that I'm just as good, if not better, then all of you! I have to be brilliant! I have to be right! Otherwise it just proves everything you say to be true! Do you think I don't know why you chose now of all times to ask for my forgiveness? I know that I've changed! I know I'm not plain old Mudblood Granger anymore! Now I'm hot Mudblood Granger, which makes me just good enough to fuck and be done with! Well, just because I'm prettier doesn't make me any less intelligent! I know what you're like and how you treat girls, and I don't want any!" And with that she turned on her heal and headed back to the castle, leaving a very stunned Malfoy behind.

She entered the Great Hall like a bat from Hell. She stormed over to where Harry and Ron were sitting, plopped down, and just sat there and scowled. She failed to notice that practically half the hall was staring at her. When she finally lifted her head and noticed all their eyes on her, she stood up and said, "What?" in her normal level, but harsh enough that it carried to any pair of ears that were even remotely concentrated on her. Everyone turned and started again to give their meals their attention, though most still tried to listen for what ever was going on with the Head Girl.

"'Mione, what's wrong?" Harry whispered in a low voice to her.

"Stupid bloody gits who think one little sentence can remove pain inflicted for 6 years. That's what's wrong," she replied, her words dripping with malice. Everyone who managed to catch the statement muttered, "Malfoy," and since almost half the hall qualified in that category, the name filled the room like an eerie chant.

"What did that jerk do to you this time, 'Mione? I'll pulverize him!" Ron asked.

"Ron, I told you that I can handle my own, and I meant it. When I'm done with him, he'll wish he never returned to Hogwarts this year," Hermione said with a tone that made everyone squirm in their seats.

"I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of her wand right now," Ginny whispered to Luna, who emphatically nodded her head.

That night Hermione received an owl from Weasley Wizard Wheezes that went as follows:

_Dear Hermione,_

_Thank you for owling us. We have to admit, we were really surprised when we read your request, but we have to admit that Malfoy is always a good cause, plus you're family, so we'll do it for free. Give us about three days to get it together and mailed. What you ask of us is the most ingenious prank we have ever heard, which means you obviously thought of it. I hope it works the way you want it, but we give you our 100 percent satisfaction guaranteed warranty. If by some odd twist of fate our product doesn't work out, we'll mail you a pile of pranks known to be tried and true favorites that equal the same amount of galleons as the prank you ordered (if you were paying that is)._

_Let us know if you ever have need of any more of our services. It will always be free because you're our favorite girl to have ever yelled at our idiot brother, and Lord knows he always needs it. Keep up the good work._

_Love, your favorite set of pranksters,_

_Fred and George, Owners, Managers, and Inventors of Weasley Wizard Wheezes_

She couldn't help but smile after that. She could here them speaking as she read. They seemed to really enjoy their job. It was, after all, what they always wanted to do. 'Three days isn't that bad. He'll even probably let his guard down if I don't do anything in the immediate future. Yes, I do believe that this will be perfect,' she mused. 'This is going to be the second largest prank pulled off at Hogwarts. The twins themselves hold the record of course with their pranks on Umbridge in fifth year. They always were the masters.'

She went to sleep that night thinking about how glorious this victory would be and what the expression on Malfoy's face will be.

The next day Hermione awoke and took a bath, knowing it was Sunday so she didn't have to rush. When she was done with her bath, she went to her room and picked out a electric blue t-shirt with a neon yellow stripe running along the chest area, a black miniskirt, and black tie-on heels.(A/N-This outfit is in honor of by beloved sister, who owns the shirt and probably the skirt too, but hates her knees so in the closet it stays.) She put a minor de-frizzing charm on her hair, tied it back, and put on a little make-up. Just the basics mind you, this is Hermione we're talking about. After a quick check in the mirror, she headed down to breakfast.

She sat down by Ron and across from Ginny and Harry and started filling her plate with food. Harry and Ron were deep in one of their conversations about Quidditch, so she didn't even try. Ginny, it seemed, was interested in what they were saying. Seeing her options, she started eating her breakfast in silence, giving up the hope for a descent conversation. Why couldn't she have friends who were obsessed with school work instead of Quidditch?

Hermione got that odd sensation of being watched and turned around to see Malfoy staring a hole in the back of her head. He seemed to be deep in thought about something. 'He's probably thinking about what happened yesterday,' she realized. 'Well, I guess there's no law against looking... it's unnerving though.' She turned back around and tried to forget that he was there, which never really worked out.

**A/N- So that's the next chapter! Hope you liked it! Review me please!**

**Riley Malfoy- The cinnamon apples thing came from me eating a green apple. I didn't think of them as stalkers, but yeah it does seem like it doesn't it? so sad**

**Alyssium-THANK YOU!**

**Steelo- Ta-da! An update! Now praise me! lol**

**Babiblue754-lol! I'm glad you found that amusing.**


	6. Vindicated

Disclaimer: Yup, don't got anything to call my own.

**Chapter 6: Vindicated**

**Shiver**

_So I look in your direction,_

_But you pay me no attention, do you._

_I know you don't listen to me._

'_cause you say you see straight through me, don't you._

_On and on from the moment I wake,_

_To the moment I sleep,_

_I'll be there by your side,_

_Just you try and stop me,_

_I'll be waiting in line,_

_Just to see if you care._

_Did you want me to change?_

_Well I change for good._

_And I want you to know._

_That you'll always get your way,_

_I wanted to say,_

_(chorus)_

_Don't you shiver? shiver, shiver_

_I'll always be waiting for you,_

_So you know how much I need ya,_

_But you never even see me, do you?_

_And this is my final chance of getting you._

_On and on from the moment I wake..._

_Did you want me to change? ..._

_Sing it loud and clear._

_I'll always be waiting for you. (x3)_

_Yeah I'll always be waiting for you._

_And it's you I see, but you don't see me._

_And it's you I hear, so loud and clear._

_I sing it loud and clear._

_And I'll always be waiting for you,._

_So I look in your direction,_

_But you pay me no attention,_

_And you know how much I need you,_

_But you never even seen me._

Draco turned off his CD player and pulled down the head phones as he heard the port-hole slam shut. Well, he knew that Hermione was back. There's not much good that will do him. She had refused to look at him since the day before. What hit him hardest was the fact she was right on most counts. He did only consider this when she became attractive. He was shocked she would admit something so personal as to why she works so hard... even if it was just to spite him. Now he couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with her. Her heard her running up the steps to her room, muttering the passwords under her breath as she went.

Far be it from him to admit he thought about her every second of every hour since their big argument. He couldn't help it. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't wipe those words, her harsh true words, from his mind. He couldn't forget how her face changed when he announced that he wanted a truce, and now she had run into her room and slammed the door closed behind her. What could possibly be wrong?

Hermione had just gotten her timetable and almost every single class was with Slytherin! She couldn't stand it. She knew he'd be looking at her like he had every single meal time since the day before. How was she supposed to concentrate with him drilling holes in her neck with his eyes? She was starting to doubt whether or not she was right about everything she had said, but she pushed these thoughts away to be disposed of when she could think straight. All she should think about it what she will do when the mail comes.

The first class she had the next day was N.E.W.T. Level Herbology with Ravenclaw, thank the gods. She wasn't sure she could stand having a class with him that early in the morning. After that she had N.E.W.T. Level Arithmancy with Slytherin, but she was fairly sure he didn't take that class so it was ok. She, in fact, didn't have a class with him until that afternoon, and by then she was steady enough on her feet to ignore him completely.

Things went like that for the rest of the week. Her trying her hardest to ignore him, and his obvious devotion to making her uncomfortable. Finally it was Wednesday morning. The day the prank was to be delivered. She went down to the Hall almost completely oblivious to anything that was going on around her until the owl started to fly in. Then she was more than coherent. One particular owl veered in her direction.

Hermione couldn't help but sing and dance with joy. The package from Fred and George had just arrived! The package was thin and cylindrical. To most people's eyes it would seem like nothing, but Hermione knew otherwise. This was her prank. This is what she had been waiting for the past three days.

She opened up the letter attached to the top of the box. It read as follow:

_Dear Hermione,_

_Okay this was your idea, so we're sure you can figure out how to use it on your own, but all you need to do is write on the charmed parchment we sent you with the red ink with whatever you want him to do. Then write over it with the black ink to make the spells in the ink and parchment active. Write something you know would catch his eye, so he reads the whole thing and doesn't just throw it away before the spell has a chance to take affect. You're going to want to owl this to him, so he doesn't suspect anything._

_Okay, that's it for instructions! We hope you have fun messing with that jerk. Make him wish he never heard the name Hermione Granger. Keep in touch._

_Yours truly,_

_Fred and George_

'Yes! This is exactly what I wanted! Those two truly are brilliant!' she thought with mirth. 'This is going to be good.' She sat down and started her 'instructions' for him. This got out the black ink and scribbled down a fake letter on top. She was going to enjoy this.

Once she was done she ran straight to the Owlery in the West Tower. She found a common school owl and whispered her instructions in it's ear. The owl seemed happy to help her, if owls can look happy at all. She attached the letter to the owls leg, fed it a treat, and slid back out of the room.

The owl would deliver the letter during lunch, when everyone was sure to witness the prank. She wanted this to be as humiliating as possible. He would pay for everything he has ever done to her and then some. This was going to be something legendary. People would talk about it for years after and laugh their arses off.

Her next class was in an hour because she had a break the first period, so she went down and sat by the lake under the oak tree. The water was dark and fathomless, or at least it seemed to be. She knew from experience that their was in fact a bottom. She had been placed down there as bait for Viktor Krum during the Triwizard Tournament. If it wasn't for Harry, she would have stayed down there too. The very thought sent shivers up her spine. As a reminder of that day, a tentacle of the giant squid raised up out of the water slow then slammed back down causing a humongous wave. The wave broke on the shore sending spurts of the mucky water farther onto the bank. Luckily Hermione was far enough back not to get wet.

Before she realized it, it was time to go to her next class. She stood up and headed off towards Defense Against the Dark Arts.

The class seemed like it was never going to end, but finally the bell rang and it was time for lunch. She stood up and collected her things. Harry and Ron were waiting for her at the door. She greeted them and they walked along in comfortable silence until Ron decided to say something stupid.

"Hey, 'Mione, can you help me with my Potions homework?"

"What you mean to say is 'Mione, will you do my Potions homework for me?' and no I won't, but you can bring it to me once you finished and I'll look over it for you," she said, her annoyance clear in her voice, but, of course, Ron was too thick to notice even that.

"Thanks, 'Mione! I'll come by your common room later to drop it off," he said smiling like an idiot without the faintest clue that she was having a hard time agreeing even to that. But Harry noticed.

"Don't worry about it, 'Mione. I'll help him out. You just relax. You've seemed stressed about something lately?" he said it more as a question than a statement.

"It's just Malfoy." She didn't even glance at them when she said this, just stared fixedly ahead of her, as if she could see the tunnel of light ahead of her, as if she saw her salvation but was too stubborn to come at anything faster than a walk.

"If he hurts you, just ask and he's dead. You know I'd do anything for you," Ron said protectively. Regardless of their breakup last year, he still was in love with her. The boy just didn't know when to quit. That was one of his endearing points.

"Ron, I told you I could handle this on my own, and I will. I already have a plan in action as we speak," she said monotonously. She smiled a little at this when she thought of her letter. "Oh, and sorry in advance Harry."

"What for?" he asked quizzically.

"Can't tell you. It'd ruin the surprise."

They opened the doors to the Great Hall. Everyone was eating and chatting away merrily, completely clueless of what she had in store for them. (A/N Kind of like you guys, right?) She sat down at her usual spot and waited for the sound of the owl's wings. Five minutes later, a lone owl flew into the Great Hall. This attracted much attention since most owls arrived at breakfast. Hermione didn't so much as turn her head. She just sat back and waited for the fun to start.

The owl swooped and landed in front of Draco, preening itself and basking in all the attention. Draco picked up the owl and notice a piece of parchment addressed to him attached to its leg. He removed it and began reading:

_Dear Draco,_

_I know that I was rude the other day, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like that. There you were offering me friendship and I pushed it back in your face and basically said, "Fuck you." I should have given you a chance. Maybe we should give this truce a try. I guess what I truly want to say is, I'm sorry and I really couldn't be happier if you want to work with me from now on in friendly peace._

_Sincerely, with all my heart,_

_Hermione_

Draco stood up thinking he was going to go talk to Hermione. He realized quite suddenly that he had no control over his own body. The only thing that could have done this was the letter from Granger, but how did she do it. That's what he wanted to know. He reached the Gryffindor table and walked to where the Golden Trio were sitting. Then as if possessed, he bent down and grabbed Potter and planted a huge kiss straight on his lips. That being done he turned around and addressed the Great Hall, who by now were now completely in a state of shock, though some had recovered and were laughing except Potter who looked disgusted.

"I want everyone to know, I am in love with Harry James Potter! I only pick on him because I know with all his fame he is out of my league," his mouth announced. Then to his horror, he began...to sing:

_Oh, his eyes are jade,_

_His heart is brave, _(and then the dancing started, hip-swaying, cheesy Broadway-inspired dancing)

_When I saw his face,_

_My heart just caved, _(turns a spin)

_Now I'm free to say,_

_My love is given away, _(disco pointing)

_I want everyone here,_

_To know that I'm a queer, _(leaping)

_I'd die a million deaths,_ (climbs onto the Gryffindor table and stalks up and down the table like a catwalk)

_If only to give him two more breaths,_ (star-burst)

_There is now nothing I have to hide,_ (slides on his knees knocking food everywhere)

_I want you forever by my side, _(jumps off table)

_Please take this oath,_ (kneels in font of Harry)

_And here it well,_

_I love you, _(grabs Harry's hand and holds it to his heart)

_And I am forever under you spell!_

Finally, Draco's body was his own, and he used this new control to flee the now uproarious laughter of the Great Hall. He ran to the Heads' common room and fled to his room. He would get that Mudblood Granger back if it was the last thing he did.

Back in the Great Hall, the laughter still carried from wall to wall. Harry, of course, looked horrified. Hermione looked quite pleased yet a little guilty...of course she was laughing until her sides hurt as well, but that's a given. Ron just plain looked confused, but then when was he not? Hermione had to admit, he had a really good singing voice. The look on his face was priceless. His eyes looked terrified and murderous at the same time. She had to write a letter to Fred and George when she got a chance to tell them thank you and that it worked perfectly.

"I am so sorry, Harry. It's the only thing I could thing of that would really get him...okay the only thing that was original," she said apologetically.

"What did you do?" Harry said finally coming out of the shock.

"Well I'll explain the details later, but let's just say I could never have done it without the twins' help," she replied cryptically.

"Does this have anything to do with what you had me look up in their stock flyer?" Ron asked.

"Everything to do with it, but as I said I'll tell you later." The people closest started telling everyone else that it was Hermione's doing.

"Well, if it really matters, I think it was a lovely song. I assume you wrote it yourself, 'Mione?" Ron said, getting laughs from all the people who had recently recovered around him.

By the end of lunch, almost every member of the House of Gryffindor had come up to Hermione and asked how she did it. She told them they'd have to wait a month or so, or at least until the twins had perfected the process and openly sold the product to the public. With their brilliance, it shouldn't take long.

Hermione returned to her room that night with the praise still ringing in her ears, but, no matter how hard she tried to convince herself he deserved every second of it, she couldn't help but feel a little guilty. 'What does it matter? He's Malfoy! You know he had it coming to him!' her brain said in her defense.

'_Then why do I feel so bad?'_ she wondered.

**A/N Hello again, my faithful fans! I want to thank all you who reviewed I really appreciate it. I'll update soon...once I figure out what will happen next...**

**elizabeth1216- To get the Anonymous Reviewer to go away, go to the Review section, click on Anonymous, and click the Disabled button**

**Steelo- See? Draco's not dead...yet**

**mysteriouscharm- Here's the update, and I hope you get that computer of yours to agree with you soon.**

**Alyssium- hehe...did you like the prank? no seriously, please tell me. I came up with this idea at like 4:30 AM...and I don't mean I just woke up.**

**Queen of Duct Tape- Well, this is it... that's the prank and I hope you like it.**

**Babiblue754- Ta-da! Update complete! NOW REVIEW ME! Please?**


	7. One Very Bad Night sort of

Disclaimer: Nope not mine.

**Chapter 7: One Very Bad Night...sort of**

**One Week**

_It's been one week since you looked at me_

_Cocked your head to the side and said I'm angry._

_Five days since you laughed at me_

_Saying get that together come back and see me._

_Three days since the living room_

_I realized it's all my fault, but couldn't tell you_

_Yesterday you'd forgiven me_

_But it'll still be two days till I say I'm sorry_

_Hold it now and watch the hoodwink_

_As I make you stop, think_

_You'll think you're looking at aquaman_

_I summon fish to the dish, although I like the chalet swiss_

_I like the sushi 'cause it's never touched a frying pan_

_Hot like wasabe when I bust rhymes_

_Big like leann rimes_

_Because I'm all about value_

_Bert kaempfert's got the mad hits_

_You try to match wits_

_You try to hold me but I bust through_

_Gonna make a break and take a fake_

_I'd like a stinkin achin shake_

_I like vanilla, it's the finest of the flavours_

_Gotta see the show, cause then you'll know_

_The vertigo is gonna grow_

_Cause it's so dangerous, you'll have to sign a waiver_

_How can I help it if I think you're funny when you're mad_

_Trying hard not to smile though I feel bad_

_I'm the kind of guy who laughs at a funeral_

_Can't understand what I mean?_

_Well, you soon will_

_I have a tendency to wear my mind on my sleeve_

_I have a history of taking off my shirt_

_It's been one week since you looked at me_

_Threw your arms in the air and said you're crazy_

_Five days since you tackled me_

_I've still got the rug burns on both my knees_

_It's been three days since the afternoon_

_You realized it's not my fault not a moment too soon_

_Yesterday you'd forgiven me_

_And now I sit back and wait till you say you're sorry_

_Chickity china the chinese chicken_

_You have a drumstick and your brain stops tickin'_

_Watchin x-files with no lights on, we're dans la maison_

_I hope the smoking man's in this one_

_Like harrison ford I'm getting frantic_

_Like sting I'm tantric_

_Like snickers, guaranteed to satisfy_

_Like kurasawa I make mad films_

_Okay I don't make films_

_But if I did they'd have a samurai_

_Gonna get a set of better clubs_

_Gonna find the kind with tiny nubs just so my_

_Irons aren't always flying off the back-swing_

_Gotta get in tune with sailor moon_

_Cause that cartoon has got the boom anime babes_

_That make me think the wrong thing_

_How can I help it if I think you're funny when you're mad_

_Trying hard not to smile though I feel bad_

_I'm the kind of guy who laughs at a funeral_

_Can't understand what I mean? you soon will_

_I have a tendency to wear my mind on my sleeve_

_I have a history of losing my shirt_

_It's been one week since you looked at me_

_Dropped your arms to your sides and said I'm sorry_

_Five days since I laughed at you_

_And said you just did just what I thought you were gonna do_

_Three days since the living room_

_We realized we're both to blame, but what could we do?_

_Yesterday you just smiled at me_

_Cause it'll still be two days till we say we're sorry_

_It'll still be two days till we say we're sorry_

_It'll still be two days till we say we're sorry_

_Birchmount stadium, home of the robbie_

(A/N-The lyrics are really long this time. Sorry bout that.) Hermione was sitting in the Gryffindor common room, in the middle of the biggest party they would throw that year, wondering how she could continue to avoid Draco--er, Malfoy, at all costs. She was definitely not looking forward to going back to the common room that night. She just prayed that she survived until the next day.

That night she had been avoiding returning to their dorms partially because of not wanting to be cursed, but mostly because she felt insanely guilty about what she had done. After dinner, as opposed to heading back to her room directly, she went to the Gryffindor common room because they wanted to have a party after Malfoy's humiliation that day. She didn't so much care that it was a party but more of less because it was a way to delay returning that night. It's really hard, though, to have a good time when you feel like you just intentionally ran over a puppy who was trying to follow you home. Not that Malfoy was as innocent as a puppy, but she couldn't help remembering the horror in his eyes as he danced and sang on the table.

Eventually the party ended, way too soon in her opinion. The stereo was put up. The food was disposed of. And all the members headed toward their beds, which meant she had to leave too. Damn.

"Hermione, we have to go to bed now, but we'll see you at breakfast," said Ron in way of good-bye.

"Okay, I'll see you then, I guess," she murmured after them. Slowly she stood up and walked to the portrait. She was truly tired, more tired than any of them at least. Still, she made her way through the corridors at almost a crawl, using any means necessary to prevent the inevitable. Regardless of her lack of speed, she made it to the mirror before she realized it. She looked in and saw her emotions in the reflection before her. The image was one undoubtedly of her, but it was a shrunken version. It seemed withered and worn. It was all dull and gray. It looked like one of the most depressing things she had ever seen. Finally after an eternity of three seconds that she spent staring at herself, the portrait materialized. "Password?" said the image of Madam Hufflepuff.

"Ambition and Courage." The portrait swung open, and she entered. She walked in as quietly as possible, assuming that he might not have heard the password and the door swinging open if he was in another room, but he would hear her if she made to much noise as she crossed to her room and the protection it offered.

Unfortunately, she had no such luck.

"Mudblood," hissed a voice from the couch. The voice was barely recognizable to her ears with all the spite and malice it held. The sound made her cringe and want to make a run for it. Instead she held her ground and pulled out her wand.

"Ferret," she acknowledged. She made her way towards her door without so much as glancing at him, but she clutched wand like it was the only thing that matter. If she had her wand, everything would be okay. Of course, Draco had no intention of letting her go so easily.

He rounded on her and pulled out his wand. Aiming for her face, he snarled, "_Petrificus Totallus_!" Luckily, Hermione had been predicting this so she easily dodged his spell.

"_Stupify_!" she shouted back, which he too dodged.

"_Silencio!" _he commanded. This actually hit because she tried to say a transfiguring spell to turn him into a ferret, but nothing came out of her mouth. She realized she now had no where to run. She couldn't hex him or jinx him. She couldn't go to her room. If she left the common room, she couldn't get back in or enter the Gryffindor Tower. She was trapped. Draco laughed as he saw these thoughts pass through her eyes. That just made her furious. She pounced at him, determined to tear some appendage--she didn't care which. He fell backwards under the weight of her attack, and his head hit the floor with a glorious THUNK! She punched him in the stomach and slapped his face with as much force as she could muster, yet he just sat there, her straddling his legs as she beat him, with a confused look on his face. Eventually figuring out he wasn't going to beg her for mercy she got off and simply tilted her head in a fashion that said, "Why are you just sitting there?" more clearly than any words she could speak...especially when she couldn't say anything to begin with.

Eventually Draco came back from that little world he was in. (I won't go into exactly what exactly was in his little world, (A/N I rated this T after all) but I'll put it this way: It involved her straddling his legs for a different reason entirely from her trying to pound his face in.) _What is wrong with me? The Mudblood just attacked and all I can think of is getting between her legs? Pull yourself together man! _his inner-voice shouted at him.

'Well look at her! I mean she's perfect! Look at her lips and her breasts, and those hips...'said a defiant part of him. To his other half's horror, he was getting aroused.

'_She is filthy. You can get any pureblood you want! Why waste your time on her?' _said a voice that was starting to sound increasingly like his father. The sudden knowledge of this shocked him. He refused to be like his father, yet his inner-voice was trained to do only things his father would wish him to out of fear of his father's reaction. He didn't want to get beat again, but then his father wasn't here. He had too much to think about, so he stood up, removed the spell on Hermione, and walked into his room to use the Pensieve Professor Snape gave him for his last birthday. He couldn't think of why Severus would have thought he needed one, but it did come in handy in these kinds of times.

Hermione was just so shocked that he removed the curse and simply left that she sat there staring at the fire until she was too weary and exhausted to stay awake. She stood, less than gracefully, and dragged her self over to her stair and up to her room. She was so tired she almost forgot to say the passwords...almost. When she finally arrived at her room she collapsed on the bed and was asleep before her head hit the pillow. She slept through the night with images of her "perfect" prank running through her head.

Draco, on the other hand, didn't sleep a wink that night. He was trying over and over again to understand where that voice came from. Not to mention, he wanted to figure out just how he felt about Hermione. By morning he could have been the poster-boy of Train Wreck Magazine. His hair was a disaster, his clothes were wrinkled, and he had huge bags under his eyes. He decided to go to Madam Pomfrey for some Pepper-Up potion. Sometimes he just couldn't understand how Muggles lived without the stuff. After his trip to the Hospital Wing, he went to his room, cleaned himself up, put on his uniform, and headed down to breakfast looking good as new.

His eyes wandered over to the spot where the Golden Trio sat every day. Even though he looked good, he found himself thinking Hermione looked radiant. After thinking all night, he had decided not to push her away anymore. He was determined not to be like his father, and he knew for a fact that regardless of her heritage Hermione could beat almost anyone in this school when it came to magic and knowledge.

That was another thing he had decided. He would call her Hermione. Not Granger, and definitely not Mudblood. She was human and a brilliant witch, so she should be treated as one. Though he still would get her back for punching him that night. Hadn't he gone through enough? Being humiliated in front of the entire school, having to kiss another boy, Harry no less, and being shot down for the first time when he actually cared about her...yes he admitted he cared about her. It came with his late night meditation session last night and seeing all his thoughts laid out before him in the Pensieve.

Just then, a booming voice announced, "Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger, would you please meet me in my office after breakfast. We have to discuss preparations for the next ball." And with that, Dumbledore left the Great Hall.

Both Hermione and Draco's heads snapped up and looked at each other. They hadn't even thought of the balls since school started. Hermione mouthed, 'Meet me in the Entrance Hall." Draco nodded his acknowledgement. They both got up and bolted out of the hall.

"Oh my God! What are we going to do?" Hermione asked like the world was coming to an end, which, come to think of it, it probably would if they didn't think fast. Well, their world as the Heads.

"First off, Hermione, calm down," he said trying to calm himself down as well.

"What did you just say?" she said, seemingly bewildered.

"I said calm down," he repeated.

"No, I meant that you said Hermione...what brought about this change?" she asked skeptically.

"Look, I'm truly sorry about the past years. I realized last night that for all these years I have treated you like less than trash because I knew that my father wanted me to. I was so afraid of him that his voice became a conscience of sort. I would hear what he thought constantly because that was the easiest way to avoid a beating. If I didn't act in a way he approved of he would put me under the Cruciatus Curse on me until I said that the Dark Lord was the most powerful and greatest wizard to ever live. It hurt so much that I only let it happen a few times, like when he tried to force me to kill a Muggle or to join the Death Eaters. I eventually got out of it in the end, but I kept the memory forever of the pain of the curse and avoided getting him angry at all costs," Draco blurted out. He hadn't planned on telling her all that, but it seemed rather inevitable.

There was an expression on her face that he just couldn't read. All of the sudden, she walked over to him and gave him a hug. She was practically his height, not that she was tall, but since he was a Seeker, he was rather... well, short for lack of a better word. Her chin rested just on top of his shoulder and her arms circled his waist. It took him a few seconds to respond, but he finally wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. They stood like that for a few seconds until they remembered what they were supposed to be doing. When they pulled back, Draco saw her eyes seemed a little far away and there was a slight blush on her cheeks. Hermione looked up at him and noticed how much softer his features had become, but then an image from that dream she had on the train flashed through her brain. Her eyes suddenly became alert.

"Okay, so what I thought was having a traditional Halloween Ball. Everyone wears costumes and the food will be mostly candy and cakes. We can ask for donations from different places around Hogsmeade, and in exchange for the donation they get to have advertisement all over the place. For drinks we can have pumpkin juice or butterbeer. We can ask Ms. Rosmerta for the butterbeer. She'll donate with little qualm I think. The decorations will look like a haunted house. We can have help from the ghosts on that part, but I think we'll need a lot of jack-o-lanterns and the place will be dark. How about getting the Weird Sisters for entertainment? They went over great in forth year," she announced.

"I thought you hadn't thought about this? The Weird Sisters would work, but only for one of the dances. We can't keep having the same people come in otherwise people will get bored," he observed.

"Perfect! We'll think about what we'll do as far as the other dances later," she proclaimed. "Let's be off to the Headmaster's office! We don't want to be late!" She held her arm out for him to take playfully. He obediently hooked his arm in hers, and they started off down the corridors.

**A/N- Alright I know that was short, but I wanted to get it up soon. Sowwy!**

**Steelo- I still feel a little bad about only being about to think up something that would hurt Harry. Good thing he's a fictional character...**

**lilwhitney- I'm so flattered that you think my stories so good! I really appreciate the praise : )**

**Alyssium- Thanks for the suggestion! I read it and will be keeping up with it from now on.**

**epiphany-the-storyteller- I hope you like the update.**

**slytherin-91- yup it's my first fanfic...I hope it turns out ok...**

**insanity-is-my-life- and continue I did**

**Queen of Duct Tape- I thought the prank just would be complete without a little singing. I'm glad you thought the same.**

**Babiblue754- She lives! It's a miracle! Hermione survived the wrath of Malfoy!**

**green pea soup- I'm still trying to figure out just how many spells would be required to pull it off, but yes unfortunately Harry was kissed by Malfoy...and yes I agree it is totally gross.**

**mysteriouscharm- I've done that one before. The whole "holy shit that's funny, but the expression on my zombie like parents isn't thing" brings back some good times...the grounding wasn't so fun though...**


	8. To Destroy A Slytherin's Mind

Disclaimer: What? Me own Harry Potter? How ridiculous! If I did I'd have my own house...

A/N-Sorry for how long it took. Writers block is a pain.

**Chapter 8: To Destroy a Slytherin's Mind**

**Head Over Feet**

_I had no choice but to hear you_

_You stated your case time and again_

_I thought about it_

_You treat me like I'm a princess_

_I'm not used to liking that_

_You ask how my day was_

_(chorus)_

_You've already won me over in spite of me_

_Don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet_

_Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are_

_I couldn't help it_

_It's all your fault_

_Your love is think and it swallowed me whole_

_You're so much braver than I gave you credit for_

_That's not lip service_

_(repeat chorus)_

_You are the bearer of unconditional things_

_You held your breath and the door for me_

_Thanks for your patience_

_You're the best listener that I've ever met_

_You're my best friend_

_Best friend with benefits_

_What took me so long_

_I've never felt this healthy before_

_I've never wanted something rational_

_I am aware now_

_I am aware now_

_(repeat chorus)_

Draco and Hermione stood on the revolving staircase that led to Dumbledore's office listening to the elevator music as they went...except it was more like an escalator and the music was actually decent. Who knew Dumbledore had a good taste in Muggle music? Hermione stood on the step above Draco humming under her breath. Draco couldn't help wondering what her real singing voice was. In itself her humming had this soothing effect that unnerved him just for the sheer fact of his reluctance to let it stop. Dear Merlin, what was this woman doing to him? He was close enough that he could just barely smell the cinnamon apple scent that exuded from her. He had to ask her if that was a perfume or her shampoo or soap or something. He couldn't say that he'd ever smelled anything so intoxicating before. The impact left him wishing that he didn't have to move so slow with her. If they continued at their current pace, he couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't go nuts and do something he'd really regret, then he'd never get a real chance with her.

Lucky for Draco, just that second they reached the top of the revolving staircase. Hermione lifted her hand to knock on the door, but before she could do so the door swung open to reveal Dumbledore and his office beyond. Dumbledore's office was one of those places that you could be in for years and still not discover every secret there was hidden in it's walls. There was the basics: his desk, a high-backed chair, a few paintings of the old Headmasters, and a fireplace. Then where were the other things: Fawkes the phoenix, a thousand instruments that looked like they had something to do with astronomy, the sword of Gryffindor, and may things too unusual to put into words. The floor was marble and the walls were lined with shelves of his books and trinkets. There was a second level that must lead to the Headmaster's living quarters. Spread out on the desk, there was what looked lie an exact copy of the Marauder's Map (no wonder he knew they were coming).

"Salutations, Miss Granger and Mister Malfoy. Come in, come in! We have much to discuss. If you will please be seated we can begin," Dumbledore greeted, eyes twinkling, pointing his wand he conjured two chairs for them to sit in. "Now I would like to hear your plans for the balls this year."

"Well...uh, we only came up with the ideas for the Halloween Ball so far..." Draco mumbled.

"Then let's start with that. Obviously you have decided to have a Halloween Ball. When shall the first Hogsmeade trip be? We need to leave time for the students to be able to get their outfits. Also we need to know who will be invited to this ball," he asked.

"The first trip should be in three weeks, so we have ample time to inform the students and they still have time to shop for their clothing," Hermione stated, starting to get into her element.

"We should only have the 5th-7th years in attendance. They are more mature and can take care of themselves if something happens because of being at the dance after curfew," Draco put in.

"Alright, that is settled then. What of the decorations?"

"We'll make everything look like a haunted house. Jack-o-lanterns, the castle ghosts, cobwebs, everything faded and dark to build atmosphere, candles everywhere, and cover the enchanted ceiling with a few fake rafters and ply-wood with holes to let the light through. We have to make it spooky though, like they walked into a nightmare without any monsters, of course," she replied.

"That sounds perfect. Mr. Malfoy, what should we do about attire? Surely they will not arrive in their school clothes?" Dumbledore said, directing his attention to Draco.

"Halloween costumes, sir. They all dress up in costumes that they will pick out in Hogsmeade." Draco glanced over to Hermione to see if she approved of the way he presented her plan. He saw a smile on her face so he took that as a sign that he did a good job.

"Well, that was very simple. What of food? And what theme shall we be using to describe this dance on the posters?" he continued.

"Candy, pumpkin juice, butterbeer, cakes, a bit of fruit for those insisting on eating a strict diet. For the candy and cakes we can recruit a local vendor to donate some of their products. In exchange we advertise for their shop on the posters and banners at the ball itself. We can ask Madam Rosmerta for the help getting butterbear. Hogwarts is her best customer; she should agree to the donation if we give her a little advertisement as well," Hermione rattled off.

"As far as the theme, we will be going with Trick or Treating at Hogwarts," Draco included.

"Well, that seems all in order. I will dismiss you to your classes now, and I hope you will be ready to present your ideas for the rest of the balls by the next time I call you both to my office," Dumbledore said in closing. Hermione and Draco left the room without another word.

When they were far enough out of hearing distance, Hermione said, "Nice thinking with the ages and the ball theme, although I thought we were going with Classic Halloween."

"I thought it could use a more edgy title. It's not that much better, but it's all I could come up with," Draco said, sounding rather nervous.

"Don't worry about it. It was short term notice. What else could you have done? In any case, I think you did a great job thinking up a name," she said encouragingly.

"Hermione...I was wondering, if you want I can invite Blaise over today," he muttered out of no where. She whipped around so fast he was sure she was dizzy.

"Why the hell would you do a thing like that? I don't want him anywhere near me!" she replied with malice, not at him but at the thought of having Blaise in their common room.

"How are we supposed to get revenge against him if we don't catch him with his guard down? He still trusts me and won't suspect that I know what happened. He would come and act like he owned the place, like the Slytherin he is, and then we will hex him to no tomorrow. It would be helpful if you played along, acted like you were attracted to him. If you got as close to him as possible to him, the spells would be more powerful. Just don't get too into the role, okay?" Draco explained.

"Why would I want to get close to that git?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"Well, girls seem to like him and it would--" He got quieter as he said it so the phrase was lost to the wind.

"What was that?"

"Itwouldmakemejealous," Draco said, words jumbled together.

"One more time."

"It would make me jealous," he said finally.

"Aw, that's sweet, but you know I don't want that kind of relationship right now."

"Can't blame a boy for trying."

"In any case, the plan sounds like a good one. Invite him over after dinner. Now we have to get to our classes," she stated and purposefully strode down the hallway towards her next class.

Draco stood there for a few moments just staring after her and watching her hips sway as she walked. _God, that woman will be the death of me,_ he thought to himself and made his way toward Care of Magical Creatures.

That night at dinner, Draco was once again surrounded by his Slytherin peers, though not listening to a word they said.

Seemingly for no reason, he looked at Blaise Zabini and asked, "Oi, mate, you want to come to my common room tonight?" in the most innocent tone.

"Sure! I've been wondering what that place looks like since Crabbe claimed to have gone there in 3rd year," the dark haired boy replied just as innocently.

"Okay, come with me after dinner, and I'll show you up," he said, smirking seemingly at the thought of having his friend over, but in truth because he was thinking of how sweet this revenge would be. He was hoping that helping with this would bring Hermione closer to him. At the thought he subconsciously shifted his gaze to the brown haired Gryffindor herself.

Feeling his gaze upon her Hermione looked up and met his eyes. She saw him smirking and knew all was going to plan, so she grinned back at him. She couldn't help but think this was going to be fun. Blaise was going to pay.

She returned her attention to the other members of her table. Ginny and Harry were looking at each other, and it was only too obvious what was going through in their mind. Ron was talking to Seamus and Dean about Quidditch. Lavender and Parvati were discussing boys and fashion, silly girls. Basically everyone was absorbed into their own little world, so she could leave and not be noticed. She slipped away and headed back to the common room to set up for their plans.

The only person who noticed wasn't even at her table. He had platinum blond and sat at the Slytherin table. Why even bother describing him? You get the hint; it was Draco. He knew to give her at least 15 minutes until he brought Blaise up with him. Couldn't have him barging in on her when she wasn't ready, now could we? He continued eating his food at a slower pace to make sure he didn't finish before he wanted too. Approximately 30 minutes later, he pushed his food away and stood up. Blaise followed suit and fell into step beside him as they made their way toward the head of the Great Hall.

"Uh, Draco, where are we going?" Blaise asked in obvious confusion.

"To my common room, of course!" Draco replied with an undercurrent of laughter in his voice. "We have a long way to go, but this is the only way to get there." After that, Blaise followed him in silence until they reached the hall of mirrors.

"Draco, why did you lead us to this dead-end? I thought I was finally going to get to see your common room," he said barely bothering to cover his disappointment.

"Will you just keep quiet." He said it as a statement not a question. He strode confidently over to the correct mirror and reflected. "Please stand back over by the staircase Blaise." While Blaise moved to do as Draco said, the painting of the founders materialized.

"Password?" asked the portrait of Madam Ravenclaw.

"Ambition and Courage," Draco whispered in return. In response the portrait swung open to reveal the entrance to their common room. Turning to Blaise, he said, "You coming?" Not even waiting for a reply, he entered their common room with a smirk.

"Oi, Malfoy, have you seen my hair scrunchy?" Hermione yelled at him while walking down the steps from her room in a barely-there nightgown that was satin and black with a scoop neck, which came to about the middle of her thigh, and barely anything else. _I've never seen that one before, _Draco thought with a tilt of his head. "Oh, you've brought company. I'll just go change." Turning on her heel, she started to go back to her room, but Blaise came up behind her and grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Trust me, I don't mind at all," he said looking her up and down.

"Don't worry, Granger, you can still run around her in your nighty. I swear we won't complain," Draco said, grinning inwardly.

"Oh okay. I'll just read on the couch then," she said and strode over to the couch, hips swaying, and plopped down with confidence and opened the book. Somehow she made the action seem natural, sexy, and graceful, enough so that Draco couldn't help but stare at her butt as it swayed. It rather bothered him to realize that Blaise was doing the same. He felt this burning need to pummel Blaise and yell at Hermione to go back up to her room and change. At this point he didn't even try to say that he wasn't jealous. How was he supposed to be able to sit through while Hermione acted her part if he couldn't even stand to see Blaise simply looking at her? She was going to make him lose his sanity fast.

Blaise walked over to the couch and sat beside her. He snaked his arm around her shoulders. Draco could see her shoulders tense, but her concentration seemed firmly placed on the book. Blaise ran his hand along her almost bare shoulder and started to knead her neck. This made her look at him, and she quickly realized just how close his face was to hers.

"Could you back away a bit, Zabini?" she said, like she wasn't completely uncomfortable. She gave him a sidelong glance that you wouldn't have notice if you didn't know to look. Blaise noticed. He was supposed to. He backed away a few inches, and removed his arm. Instead of simply backing off, he placed his hand on her inner-thigh and moved it in small circles. Slow enough that if you weren't paying attention you wouldn't notice, he inched his hand higher up her leg. That was about all Draco could take.

"Get off her, Blaise," Draco hissed. Blaise seemed to have forgotten entirely about him. He seemed to slowly swim out of the perverted thoughts that were running around in his head and turned to look at Draco with glazed over eyes. He didn't remove his head, but he did stop moving it.

"Don't worry, Draco. There's enough for both of us. I would never deny my best friend," he said, not even trying to hide his intent.

While he was looking away, Hermione pulled out her wand and aimed it at him where he most deserved it. His crotch. "If you think I'm that easy, you are as dumb as you look," she announced. "_Reducio_! I'm pretty sure you couldn't satisfy me anyway." Blaise's head snapped back to look where her wand was pointing. He paled when he realized what had happened.

"_Buboter Pus!_" Draco yelled with his wand pointed at the other boys face. Zabini's beautiful face sprouted hideous boils, but the spell didn't stop there. You can rest assured that the rest of him had the painful lymph nodes as well.

Blaise ran out of the room yelling, "You will pain for this! I won't rest until I have my revenge!" Hermione and Draco were rolling on the ground laughing... until Hermione realized how little she was wearing.

"I'll go change now..." she said, backing out of the room with a deep crimson blush forming on every inch of her face. That being said, she ran.

**A/N- Well, there you go. One more chapter. (It's actually an important one, so remember it.)**

**Riley Malfoy- Thank you as always. : )**

**Babiblue754- I already know what her costume will be. It will be gorgeous if I do say so myself and I do. lol**

**Steelo- Trust me you aren't the only one to say it's about time. It's still far from a happy ending though.**

**mysteriouscharm- Thanks...the Hermione thing was just my way of quick fix. Couldn't have them getting in trouble just yet could I?**

**Alyssium- I hope you like the chapter! Now they get to terrorize the school together! Hehe!**

**lilwhitney- Thanks! Hope you liked the update.**

**Queen of Duct Tape- Well, it wasn't against each other this time... Down with Blaise!**

**his-lil-shortie- We're nowhere near the end! Keep reading! Long way to go!**

**slytherin-91- Thank you for reviewing! Keep it up! It brings a smile to my face:D**

**green pea soup- I read my mail and wrote back too! You better update your story soon! I'm waiting, so hurry it up okay?**

**musicfob- No worries. A compliment is a compliment. I'll read your story soon.**

**diabolicalone 18- Nice name! Hope you like the chapter.**

**supafly09- It was more of a comforting kind of hug...and yes the thoughts about her straddling him went into the Pensieve.**

**Alexandra Warkel- You are not crazy...just a little over enthusiastic. I mean if you were crazy, you wouldn't know it right? Review as much as you please. I like reviews!**


	9. One Almost Happy Day

Disclaimer: A face appears on the TV and says, "The Ring calls to you...and you don't own Harry Potter."

A/N- OMG! I just finished HBP! I am so depressed about it. He had to die sometime, but you know the middle of the next book seemed like a better idea then in this one. Damn you Snape! I trusted him too... I am not going to change my fic after the new developments of the book. This is how I want it to be. So there, I have spoken!

**Chapter 9: One Almost Happy Day**

**Since I Met You**

_(intro)_

_Was at the end of my rope, had nowhere to go_

_Was at the end of my rope, I had nothing to show_

_Until the day I turned to you, was at the end of my_

_what? _

_you talking to me? _

_you talking to me? _

_you call me crazy x4_

_You call me crazy, man you make my day_

_My state of residence was disarray_

_At every party and as far as anybody knew - everything was cool, but_

_The truth was bottled up inside of me_

_I was as lonely as a man could be_

_And my 200 friends couldn't fill the void in my soul_

_It was a giant hole_

_Nothing made any sense_

_I thought there would never be an end_

_Then love came knocking at my door_

_(chorus)_

_Since I met you I've been alright_

_You turn all my darkness into light_

_Since I met you I've been okay, I've been alright_

_ya know I've been alright_

_Since I met you I've been okay_

_You're rolling my winter into may_

_And since I met you I've been alright_

_I've been okay since I met you_

_I've been okay since I met you_

_You got me feeling like a million bucks_

_Some people write it up as irish luck_

_But I know better, cause my rabbit's foot never did me a bit of good_

_The truth hit me like a sock in the eye_

_A revelation that I can't deny_

_Your love has overtaken every little part of me_

_You were what I needed_

_I'm carried away_

_Never seen the sunshine like today_

_You made something of my life_

_(repeat chorus)_

_(bridge)_

_Was at the end of my rope_

_I had no where to go, go_

_Was at the end of my rope_

_I had nothing to show_

_Until the day that I turned to you_

_Was at the end of my rope_

_I had nowhere to go, go, go_

_Was at the end of my rope_

_I had nothing to show_

_Until the day that I turned to you_

_Was at the end of my rope_

_yeah, that's right, I'm talkin' to you_

_Sick and tired x4_

_Sick and tired of the same ol' fluff_

_You took me in and you shook me up_

_You got me tripping on a vision of eternity_

_I can see it clearly_

_(chorus)_

_Was at the end of my rope_

_with nowhere to go_

_I had nowhere to go, go_

_nowhere to go_

_Was at the end of my rope_

_with nothing to show_

_Had nowhere to go, go, go_

_i had nowhere to go_

_Was at the end i had had nowhere to go come on of my rope_

_i had had nowhere to go come on_

_Was at the end nowhere to go come on of my rope_

_i had had nowhere to go was at the end, then I met you_

_nowhere to go_

Hermione's alarm clock went off. It was the morning of the trip to Hogsmeade, and she couldn't wait to start shopping for her costume for the ball. She was going to spend the whole day with Draco to get matching costumes. I know, cliche right? But they thought since they were going together and were Head Boy and Head Girl matching seemed appropriate.

They had been getting closer as the weeks passed since their revenge on Blaise. They would sit up at night and just talk and get to know each other better. He told Hermione about why he just couldn't join the Death Eaters, and what happened to his family when his father escaped Azkaban. She told him what it was like living in the Muggle world after the war started, and what being friends with "The Chosen One" is like. Some days they would just sit there and talk about what they wanted to do when the war ended and they were out of school. They would tell jokes and play Exploding Snap. In other words, they were bocomin friends and confidants. Hermione couldn't help but wish that it was something more than that. It was going against all of her beliefs, but she couldn't deny the aching that she felt when he was near her, or the burning she felt when he touched her. But being who she was she kept it all bottled up inside her. She thought a few times he seemed to be thinking along the same lines as she was, but she couldn't be sure.

She slid out of the covers, stretched and yawned in a fashion much like that of a cat. Jumping off her bed, she went into her bathroom to take a quick shower, though she lit the candles around the tub so the smell of candle wax would spread through the room. She got out about of the shower and went over to where her scant amount of make-up and hair products littered the counter. She applied a light bit of black eyeliner and placed garnet red eye shadow on her eyelid and a little below the eye. She applied a little lip balm and added a small bit of gel to her hair (her hair would dry on its own). She was finished, and though it was much less make-up then most girls her age, it made her face glow with a light all its own. She went back into her bedroom and got changed. Her outfit for the day consisted of a black blouse with belled sleeves in a Renaissance-style, a long skirt that was blood red, black, stiletto high heels, and a crimson scrunchy to hold her hair in a messy bun with two strands hanging around her face. She headed down to the common room to wait on Draco.

She didn't have to wait long. Within a minute of when her butt touched couch, Draco was coming down the stairs. He was wearing a black shirt with a picture of Manson on it that had "Antichrist Superstar" sprawled across the back, baggy black pants with chains hanging all over the place, and combat boots. He was the image of teen gothdom, and he seemed innately comfortable.

"I didn't know you listened to Muggle music," Hermione said in greeting.

"Well, it's really hard these days to find good metal in the wizarding world," Draco replied as if it was the most common thing in the world.

"Maybe someday I'll get you to listen to some of my stuff," she said, getting up to meet him.

"I'm sorry, but I'd rather not destroy my ears with that junk you call music." He smirked at her while he said it, knowing it would annoy her.

"At least I don't try to deafen myself every time I turn on the radio," she snapped with her hip jutted out and a grin slowly making its way onto her face. She took a few more steps to him until she had to tilt her head back a little to look him straight in the face, stretched up on her tip-toes to make their faces even, leaned forward until their faces were only centimeters apart, and looked at him for a few seconds. She saw thoughts flash by in his eyes, she put her arms around his neck and leaned in a little further ,and at the last second she turned placed her mouth to his ear and yelled, "GOOD MORNING!" He placed his arms around her waist and twirled her around the living room until he was sure she was dizzy and tossed her onto the couch.

"That wasn't very nice, Miss Granger," he scolded in a tone very similar to Professor McGonagall.

"Do you want me to be sick and not be able to go shopping with you?" she said sounding honestly quite ill. When Draco heard this he quickly knelt beside her and started checking to see if she was clammy, which is the first sign someone is going to throw up, which Hermione used as her opening to point her wand at him. "Haha! Gotcha," she said with a huge grin.

"You little pain!" he laughed. "I was worried about you! That wasn't very funny," Draco said slowly looking more and more serious.

Hermione sobered fast. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you." This time it was his turn to break out in a grin. He picked her up around the waist and flung her over his shoulder.

"Well, better go take you to Madam Pomfrey," he said, not even trying to hide his amusement.

"I'm okay! Put me down this instant, Mr. Malfoy!" she shrieked as he bore her towards the portrait hole.

"Oh, this must be serious! You've become delirious! I must hurry to the hospital wing," he said, obvious finding the woman who was kicking violently now very amusing. His steps never faltered, in fact they hastened.

"Put me this instant, Draco Dionysus Malfoy!" she yelled between laughs. In a few moments she felt her feet touch the ground.

"There. Better?" he said still smiling.

"Much. Will we be off?" Hermione said sharing with a smile of her own and holding out her arm, but, instead of hooking his arm with hers, he grabbed her hand. She gave him a questioning look but didn't pull away because, well, she just felt like it was right. She shrugged, and they started walking to breakfast. When they reached the door that led to the Great Hall, their hands dropped away like dead weight.

"Well, erm, I'll see you after breakfast..." Draco mumbled, barely audible.

"Yeah, bye," Hermione murmured and pushed the door open. How could she forget about her friends? They won't accept her plans to shop with Draco let alone being friends with him. It'd be like treason. All these thoughts ran through her head as she approached the table and sat down near Ginny who was leaning on Harry like a pillow and trying to get extra sleep. When she looked on the faces of her friends, she noticed they all looked rather sleepy. Given their condition, they might not even care where she was going that day. "I just wanted to let you guys know that I'm shopping with Draco today for our costumes for the ball."

"Uh huh... Okay, have fun..."mumbled a drowsy Ron.

"Just let us sleep a little longer, please Mommy," whined Ginny.

"Okay, I'll see you later," Hermione said and hurried away before they realized what they agreed to. Draco was already at the door.

"How'd your friends take it?" he asked looking truly concerned for his life, as if afraid Harry or Ron would suddenly appear and he'd get a black eye or a nose bleed.

"Great! They were too far gone to realize anything was amiss. Let's hurry before their brains fully process what I just said." She grabbed his hand and practically dragged him towards the oak doors of the Entrance Hall. Draco let her drag him for a while then caught his own footing and started walking beside her at the same determined pace. All the while she did not loosen her grip on his hand, so the effect was that they were holding hands as they approached Filch, who had a look of resentfulness on his face. He let them pass muttering something along the lines of "hormone-driven teenagers."

"So what do you think we should wear? I don't want it to be something you're uncomfortable in," she added quickly.

"Not that I don't like the idea for the ball, but if we could avoid the whole haunted house theme for the costumes I'd be much obliged," Draco said.

"I completely agree. Is it just me or is the whole idea of dressing up like some hideous monster sound totally unappealing?" she agreed. "Yes, one moment while I add more scars and bruises all over my skin so I look even more repulsive." They both cracked up laughing loudly at this point.

"Oh, wait a minute, I forgot to add the green to my face make-up," he added.

"How about we dress up like emotions?" she said with a burst of creativity.

"'How do you propose we do that?" he asked.

"Certain colors symbolize different emotions to the human mind. We also use symbols to relate them. A smiley face for happiness, a frown for sadness, money for greed and so on. The outfit can be in colors that our mind relates to the emotion, and we can include symbols to get the point across," she explained.

"Then what emotion should we choose, oh brilliant one? What about using two opposite emotions?" Draco proposed.

"That's a great idea! How about love and hate? As in there's a fine line between love and hate?" (A/N- I was thinking along the lines of Jackyl and Hyde.) The idea was really starting to grow on her. They continued to discuss the idea while they made their way down to the village. "Let's get some butterbeer."

They walked into the Three Broomsticks and almost all talking stopped. Every head in the room, that belonged to a student or teacher that is, turned to stare at the pair. "Well, there goes hoping that no one would notice," Draco said bitterly.

"Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, two butterbeers I assume?" Madam Rosmerta said quickly seemingly worried she'd lose their business do to the attention they were getting.

"Yes, thank you," Hermione said, unfazed. She turned to Draco who looked slightly embarrassed. "What did you expect? We're not exactly the most likely pair to be shopping together. Loosen up, or are you regretting coming with me now that you have blatant evidence of what people will think?" she asked suddenly very uncomfortable with herself and refused to look at him.

"It's not that-"he said, realizing she wouldn't meet his eyes he grabbed her chin and made her meet his eyes, "it's not that, I just keep forgetting what our relationship is like when we aren't in the common room. I was just so excited about spending the day with you that I keep forgetting it's not normal to other people mind. I mean, I knew that our friends wouldn't take it lightly, but I thought the rest of the school would just let it go."

Hermione looked unsure for a moment, then seemed to settle on just letting it go. "Let's find a table," she said and grabbed his hand and led him to a table in the back of the tavern.

Rosmerta appeared with their butterbeers and left just as quickly. Hermione sat there, sipping her butterbeer, and refusing to break the silence first. Until, that is, the door opened and Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Neville filed inside. When she saw them, she shrunk down into her seat and covered her face with her hand. _Please don't let them see me...please don't let them see me..._she chanted to herself.

"Hermione, how about we start shopping now?" Draco asked, noticing her discomfort. She nodded furiously and stood behind him as they exited, trying to be as invisible as possible. When they finally got back onto the street, he pulled her out from behind him and said, "We're safe now. No hiding needed."

"Easy for you to say! They're behind us now, so let's start looking." She grabbed his hand, once again, and pulled him into the nearest shop. From that point on, they were totally absorbed into their mission to find the perfect costume. They were so at ease with each other that they didn't even notice the looks they were getting from people. By the time they returned to the castle, they not only had the perfect costumes they so desired picked out and in the process of alteration but a number of inside jokes referring to random things that had happened that day.

"Mr. Malfoy, I do believe that you are forgetting one thing," Hermione stated.

"And what would that be, my dear Miss Granger?" he inquired.

"Snugglepuffs, bloodpops, and raspberry tea!" she replied, and they both cracked up laughing. "Hey, do you want to go down to the kitchen for some snacks? We can bring them up to the common room ad have a party."

"Sure. Why not? It would be a horrible way to end this glorious day if we had to join our peers at dinner!" he declared.

They were two corridors away from the entrance to the kitchen when they noticed him. Seamus Finnagin was leaning against the wall with blood dripping down his face. Hermione ran over to the place where he stood. He kept blinking, but it started to take longer for them to open again. Her head kept telling her to keep him awake. 'Talk to him', it instructed.

"Merlin, Seamus, what happened to you?" Hermione said while looking him over to see if the head was the only serious injury. "Seamus, Seamus, talk to me! You've got to stay awake long enough for me to get you to the hospital." She turned and notice Draco was just standing there. "Make yourself useful," she commanded. "Conjure a stretcher." Draco who seemed to be pulling himself out of a deep hole, pulled out his wand and did as she asked. "Help me get him onto it." When Seamus was laying out on the stretcher, they picked it up and turned down the direction of the Hospital Wing. The trip seemed to take forever, but really it only took a few minutes. When they arrived at the Hospital Wing, Hermione knocked frantically on the door until Madam Pomfrey emerged from inside.

"What happened here?" she asked looking down at her patient. She waved her wand over his head injury, and he seemed to be in less pain. "Bring him inside." She moved out of the way to let them pass. They lowered the stretcher onto the nearest bed, and Draco tapped the stretcher with his wand, which instantly disappeared. "Out, out! I have work to do, and you can only get in the way."

They left the Hospital Wing with quite a damper on their moods. Neither of them said anything but simply walked off to the Great Hall in silent agreement that a party definitely wasn't in order.

**A/N- The next chapter is going to be about the Halloween Ball. Review! Review! Review! Ciao! **

**twitchy-tennisplayer- Thanks for the review! You have no idea how happy they make me!**

**Kait1991- Haha! Yet another I have won over with my wonder writing physique!**

**Alexandra Warkel- Thank you once again for reviewing! I'm glad you liked my other story too:D**

**Riley Malfoy- I thought Blaise deserved that particular prank. I'm glad you agree. ; )**

**Babiblue754- Sorry, but you have one more chapter until the ball. Just one I promise, but unfortunately Blaise's revenge is going to be much later.**

**Queen of Duct Tape- Please keep your bubbles to yourself. I already have to deal with ninja monkeys! Haven't I been through enough? I hope this was long enough. I had serious writers block for a while...still do. It's very annoying. I suppose it would be better to be nuts and know it than to be sane and have doubts, but then the question of Johnny the Homicidal Maniac comes in, and well I simply don't see much of a difference.**

**anonimousXoXo- Thanks for the review, and I'm sorry you didn't like the other...to each their own. This is my happy, that is my sad. There's two sides to everything and mine two just tend to be slightly extreme. Na ja.**


	10. Dancing Under a False Sky

A/N- It's awesome to know that my story is getting so much attention. 85 reviews! Does a happy dance...er, ok enough of that. This is the chapter you've been all waiting for, or at least wondering about. THE BALL. As a big change, the lyrics will be mixed in the chapter as apposed to being right in the beginning. If you've read up to now, you know just how big a change of pace this is, but bear with me. It all has a purpose, the change I mean. Oh whatever, you guys are smart enough to know where this is going! On with the show!

Disclaimer: That's right, laugh it up. I already know I don't own Harry Potter...it's not nice to laugh at people...that's enough! Will you just be quiet already! I will murder you in your sleep T-chan! Oh yeah, and I don't own Transylvanian Concubine or I'm Under Your Spell either.

**Chapter 10: Dancing Under a False Sky**

Hermione was sitting in History of Magic, doodling on a piece of paper, while the ghostly Professor Binns' voice hovered over her ears like the hum of a fly that just wouldn't go away. She was drawing a picture of the beautiful gown she had bought for the Halloween Ball that would take place at the end of the week. (A/N- Yes, I will continue to put off describing her costume until the beginning of the ball. I would just like to say to one reviewer who will remain anonymous: I meant for it to be a vague description, and you are will just have to be patient. I've known what her outfit would look like since before I wrote the second chapter.) Hermione, believe it or not, was planning on becoming an artist before she got her letter. She had a real flare for drawing and painting. Once she got her letter, that all changed. She became determined to know all about this world that seemed too amazing to be real. Like most Muggle children, she was raised to believe that magic (by the wizarding world's standards at least) was impossible, and it was foolish to think otherwise. How wrong that turned out to be! She let out a bitter laugh, startling everyone in the room, except for Professor Binns, who continued to drone on about some wizard named Raging Mardoc. How did he manage to make such a interesting story so horribly boring? The only interesting thing about this class was how tired he could make you only 2 minutes into the lecture. It was an amazing talent, to be sure, though not one to be proud of.

Seamus had returned from the Hospital Wing after the incident in an odd state. He couldn't answer any questions as to how he was attacked. All he would say is he heard voices around the corner, and then everything went black. Dumbledoor told Draco and Hermione, since they were the ones who found him and were Head Boy and Girl, that he suspected someone had Obliterated his memory, which would explain the near-concussion-like state he was found in. It still bothered Hermione, but with the dance coming up, she had no time to ponder over it. A paper airplane hit her head, and she turned almost sleepily to the bit of parchment that was hovering near her head. She spread her hand out flat, and the plane landed on the surface and flattened itself out to be read.

Draco watch her as she read his letter. A smirk spread across those perfect lips he was now so captivated by. As their friendship had built, so had his feelings towards the curly haired girl. He felt apprehension shoot through his body every time he was near her, hoping once that she'd show some definite sign of returning his feelings. She had become more open with his friendship with him, so much so in fact that it was a miracle beyond miracles that neither Harry or Ron seemed to notice anything, and yet she hadn't given any of the usual signs that a girl like him. Though, truth be told, their relationship prior to the truce made all the giggling and flattery seem ridiculous, and she wasn't like any of the other girls. That was why he liked her after all. Her independence, her spirit, her total lack of the air headedness that so many other girls seemed to acquire at their age. It's what made her so perfect.

By this point, he was gazing at her so hard he didn't seem to notice the continuous bumping he was receiving from the returned note. It started to ram into him harder until it hurt, and he realized that it was there. He held out his hand and read the note:

_H,_

_Have you heard from the Weird Sisters about our reservations?_

_D_

_D,_

_They said they would arrive on the 30th, which is in 3 days! I'm not sure if all the plans will be finished by the dance...are you positive that we've got everything organized?_

_H_

He scribbled down a reply and sent the note off again. It was a good things this teacher didn't notice anything that went on in his classroom. They would never be able to get away with writing notes in class with any of his living professor.

He thought it was so cute how uptight she got about things. She was always worried she forgot something or missed some minute detail that most people wouldn't even give a thought to, but then that's why she's the most brilliant witch to ever step in the doors of Hogwarts, at her age that is. She would add in little things that would seem totally irrelevant to everyone else, but the teachers would give her the best grade in the class. It didn't hurt that she memorized the textbooks either.

The Halloween Ball would be that Saturday, and she was more concerned with the preparations than the actually event. He assumed she already told Potter and the Weasleys about them going together, but he severely doubted that she told them she didn't mind. It was probably more than likely they didn't even know about the truce. At the thought of that he felt anger arise in him. Was she ashamed of their friendship? Did she care so little about their new found peace? Did she care so little about him?

His thought process was interrupted by the bell ringing. He would talk to her later about it; right now he had to get to his next class.

The next four days consisted of classes, panic attacks (in Hermione's case), checking and rechecking every preparation, and a lot of giggling girls in hallways for the two Heads. In Draco's opinion, it was a miracle Hermione's head didn't explode with how much stress she was going through, but finally the day of the dance arrived, and every person was undeniably excited and anxious for the night to come (okay, only the 5th, 6th, and 7th years were, everyone else was sullen because they couldn't attend.)

Draco spent his day finishing homework that he couldn't do earlier because of last minute changes or completions of the plans for that night. Hermione spent the day with Harry and Ron down by the lake. They, Draco and Hermione, had agreed they needed a break from the planning and work that had become their life for the last few weeks. Hermione had been spending almost no time with her two best friends, and his grades were slipping. They figured that it would be best to spend the day separately... okay, she decided. As she put it, absence makes the heart grow fonder. He just sat there and nodded his head: he would get to have her to himself the entire night anyway.

"Hermione, what's your costume going to be?" said the red-headed boy, who was leaning against the oak watching the giant squid lift a tentacle out of the water and bring it down creating a huge wave.

"Yeah, what is it? We couldn't possibly know, seeing as you didn't go shopping with us," Harry grumbled.

"You guys said you didn't mind! And anyway, it's a surprise. Draco agreed it should be--" she replied only to be interrupted by Harry and Ron.

"DRACO! Since when are you on a first name basis!" they asked simultaneously with shocked expressions.

"Since we called a truce," Hermione said defiantly.

"Why would you do a daft thing like that?" Ron asked in disbelief.

"Because he's really a nice person when you get to know him, plus it's kind of hard to work with someone if you're constantly shouting insults at each other," she defended. "So, who are you guys taking to the dance?" The change of subject was so blatant neither of them noticed, and they continued talking until it was four o' clock at which time Hermione said her goodbyes and hurried off to get ready for the dance.

She rushed up to the common room and went to her room to get ready; she didn't even notice Draco sitting on the couch. She took a shower, put her hair up, added a small amount of hair gel to the loose parts, and applied make-up. (A/N- I will describe in detail later. Being vague on purpose again? Who me?) She grabbed her costume, and in the process of putting it on, realized she needed help. She walked down the stairs to the common room, holding the dress on.

Draco heard Hermione descending the stairs around 6:00 and looked to see someone else. Someone only able to be described as perfect. She had her hair piled on her head in a triple tiered style that looked like it came out of ancient Greece with heart-shaped clips shimmering at random places. Her eyes had cat-eyed eyeliner. Bright red lipstick adorned her lips, but it didn't look whorish. It just fit. She was holding onto herself a dress, but calling it a dress seems to not do it justice. The top was a blood red bodice that was embroidered with roses. The skirt was a many-layered bell. The first few layers were translucent so when she moved the skirt seemed to be of different shades of red. Then he realized why she was holding it up. The back had many ribbons that laced it up. The ribbons were shades of red that varied from cherry red to a red that was almost black, and as she was only one person, she couldn't tie them herself.

"Draco, a little help please?" emerged Hermione's voice from the goddess. Oh, so it was her. He realized he was staring and shook his head to clear it as if it was an 8 Ball. He walked over and fixed the ribbons so that they joined at a great bow at the small of her back and then draped down the back of her skirt. She turned around, said, "So, what do you think?" and gave a little spin.

He went with honesty. "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen," he admitted and was rewarded by her blushing scarlet and looking away.

"Well, um, shouldn't you be getting ready?" she muttered, suddenly shy.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, let me just go do that..." he stuttered and hurried to change.

He emerged 20 minutes later in a black and red suit. His hair was in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. There was make-up under his eyes to make them look sunken in, but it did not shade how handsome he was. The suit jacket appeared to have the sleeves ripped off to reveal a blood red dress shirt underneath. The rest of the suit was pretty basic except for the fact that he wore a dog collar and chain.

They stood side-by-side, hand-in-hand, and, in their own way, personified love and hate, and they matched. The funny thing is love can beget hate, and hate can beget love as well. She wore something complicated and beautiful. He wore something simple but dark. The emotions and outfits fit them perfectly. So as love and hate, they went to the ball.

They arrived in the Great Hall at 6:35 and did one last run-through to make sure everything was in order. At 6:45 opened large oak doors to the students. En masse, all their waiting peers entered the world they two had thought up. The decorations turned the Great Hall into the complete horror movie haunted house that they had envisioned, or at least Hermione had envisioned. The second everyone was inside, the band started up.

_If you want to know how_

_To fly high, then go now_

_To the place where all the concubines..._

_Meet and converse with them_

_Marvel at their pale skin_

"Would you like to dance?" Draco held his hand out to Hermione, and they began to dance to the music.

_Wonder how they chew on their pointy..._

_Teeth and hair are beauty_

_They know it's their duty_

_To be countess in their hearts and their..._

_Minds that have to whisper_

_See in them a sister_

_Look into their eyes and you'll become_

_Transylvanian Concubine._

_You know what flows here like wine._

_Stay here with us, it's just time._

_Transylvanian Concubine._

_Sorrow is their master_

_Cackling with laughter_

_Now he's having just one piece of..._

_Cakey is their make-up_

_Catholics try to shake up_

_All the things that form their lives, but_

_they're..._

_Dead, their sighs, their songs_

_They know what they do is wrong._

They danced together, not even noticing the looks people gave them (especially pansy). They were completely oblivious to the world outside their own. No one seemed to be able to accept that they were friends, or more than friends, but they couldn't care less. They were happy for the moment.

_Stay here with us, it's just time._

_Transylvanian Concubine._

_Candelabra's lighted_

_Satan has been sighted_

_Never has there been an evening like..._

_This is what they wanted_

_Always to feel hunted_

_You can never be too rich or too..._

_Thin. The blood has run out._

_Fangs ruin any cute pout_

_Morning has come now they've flown_

_What have you learned from what has been_

_shown?_

That song ended, and they went to the refreshment table to get something to drink. The butterbeer was still warm, another miracle of magic. They sat down at one of the tables that were set up near by, which was orange and black and riddled with candy. It was a while before either one said anything (either because of lack of breath or shyness is yet to be determined.)

It was Hermione to break the silence, "It turned out perfect, didn't it?"

"Of course! What have you ever done that wasn't perfect?" he asked jokingly.

"I got an E on my Astronomy OWL," she replied seriously. He feigned a heart-attack.

"Merlin, Hermione "Book Worm" Granger got an E! How do you live with yourself?" he teased, not even trying to hide his laughter.

"Hey! I was distracted by what that horrible woman, Umbridge, was trying to do to Hagrid!" she said defensively, then began laughing herself. "I am pathetic, aren't I?"

"No you're not. You're perfect, so perfect that sometimes I think I just can't compete. Hell, I know I can't compete!" he said in all seriousness, but Hermione being insecure as most girls are thought he was just being nice.

"It's alright. I know I have no life. You don't have to try to cheer me up."

He looked like he wanted to object, but a slow song came on, and he got a better idea. "Shall we dance, mi lady?" he asked, once again holding out his hand. She put her hand in his and walked with him to the dance floor.

He put his arms around her waist and held her close. She laid her head on his shoulder and placed her arms around his neck.

_I live my life in shadow_

_Never the sun on my face._

_It didn't seem so sad, 'tho._

_I figured that was my place._

"You really don't have anything to be insecure about. You're the brightest, most beautiful, kind-hearted witch I have ever met," he whispered in her ear.

_Now I'm bathed in light._

_Something just isn't right._

"I don't agree, but I won't argue. I wish that we could just stay like this and never have to worry about other people or Voldemort again," she whispered back.

_I'm under your spell._

_How else could it be_

_Anyone would notice me?_

_It's magic, I can tell._

_How you set me free,_

_Brought me out so easily._

"I just wish that was an option," he whispered, pulling her in closer.

_I saw a world enchanted,_

_Spirits and charms in the air._

_I always took for granted_

_I was the only one there._

"How did we get here, Draco? What made us go from hating each other to...this?" _Whatever this is, _Hermione thought.

_But your power shone,_

_Brighter than any I've known._

"Well, let's see. You showed up in Diagon Alley looking amazing, then totally blew me off in a cute little huff," he accounted.

_I'm under your spell._

_Nothing I can do._

_You've just took my soul with you._

_You worked your charms so well._

_Finally I knew. Everything I dreamed was true._

_You make me believe._

"Then I had the dream about you and I on the train," she added.

_The Moon to the Tide._

_I can feel you inside._

"Ha, you admitted it was about me! That wasn't so hard now was it?" he joked.

_I'm under your spell._

_Surging like the sea._

_Drawn to you so helplessly._

_I brink with every swell._

_Lost in ecstasy._

_Spread beneath my Willow tree._

_You make me complete!_

"Then I blew you off again when you wanted to call a truce," she whispered, completely ignoring his last statement.

_You make me complete._

"Then you made me kiss Harry," he whispered.

_You make me complete._

"I felt so guilty about that," she admitted.

"You could make it better," he whispered, running his hands down her back. She pulled back a little.

_You make me complete_.

"How?" She barely got it out before his lips came crashing down on hers. She was shocked for a minute, but she recovered quickly. She closed her eyes and leaned into him.

They were just about to deepen the kiss when a rude voice yelled, "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing to my Mione, Ferret!" The kiss broke off, but they didn't separate. Hermione looked to see a fuming Ron dragging Lavender Brown, his date, behind him.

"Ron, will you just mind you're own business?" Hermione said, a little more than impatient.

"You can't be serious! This is Malfoy, the Ferret, the boy who's called you Mudblood since first year!" he fumed.

"It's okay, Hermione. I'll go. I don't want you to lose a friend over me," he said calmly, though he wanted to punch the Weasel with everything in him. He started to pull away, only to have her hold on tighter.

"Don't you dare! I won't let this idiot ruin one of the best moments of my life," she said loudly to make sure Ron heard.

"Mione, you would choose him over me?" Ron asked in a small voice, sounding hurt.

"Ron! Get this through that thick red head of yours! We ended a long time ago! It didn't work then; it won't work now! Of course I would choose the man I love over you!" she said quietly but sharply. Ron winced at her words.

"You love me?" Draco's voice asked from behind her.

"Yes, but can we talk about this later?" she replied turning to him. Not waiting for a reply, she turned back to Ron, "Will you leave now? I want to get back to my date." She turned back to Draco. "Want to go for a walk?"

Draco nodded his head and took her hand. They walked off leaving a heartbroken Ron and his furious date behind. They could just hear Lavender yelling, "What am I to you? Nothing? Why did you ask me out if I'm just a replacement for _her?_"

They sat down once more at one of the tables.

"I love you, too," Draco said after he was pretty sure she had calmed down.

"I'm truly sorry about that. I should have told Ron and Harry not to interfere when we were together today, but after their reaction to me telling them about the truce..." She stopped when she realized he was grinning. "What?"

"You told them about the truce. I was worried earlier that you were ashamed of me or something and hadn't told them, but you did. I think that deserves another kiss," he said pulling her over to him. She ended up in his lap, with his mouth once again on hers, and she knew that this, this was bliss. They just kissed and kissed for what seemed like an eternity until they heard a cough from a few feet away. Hermione looked up to see a grinning Harry and Ginny.

**A/N- Okay, that's all you get for now. I'll continue ASAP. I've got a lot of reviews this time, so bear with me! Now you know your job! REVIEW!**

**Babiblue754- Snape should let himself die instead of fulfilling the Vow! But hey, since Draco didn't complete the mission, it proves he's not all bad! Maybe he'll join the Order. That would be awesome!**

**anonimousXoXo- Sorry bout the Seamus thing. It's going to be part of the main plot, so I can't tell you yet.**

**Alyssium- Thank you for once again reviewing! I hope you liked this chapter too!**

**Queen of Duct Tape- JTHM is a comic they sell at Hot Topic about a guy who is, well, a homicidal maniac. One of the main questions he presents is since he knows he's nuts, then is he? I agree the whole world is nuts, although I thick you may be more so than others if you wear duct tape on your head. Does it hurt to take off? Doesn't it rip your hair out?**

**Demoncross/animegirl- Half the ball done, half to write left.**

**Kait1991- Do you actually say nifty? That's grand!**

**Janangel- Thanks!**

**his-lil-shortie- Yay! Thank you!**

**Hazelocean- Just did.**

**Riley Malfoy- I'm sorry I spoiled HBP for you. My sister ruined it for me and so I quite literally feel your pain.**

**diabolicalone18- Danke schun! (translation- Much thanks!)**

**WindKitsune21- Once again, I have won over someone who doesn't like HermioneDraco pairings! This is the awsomest!**

**silver slytherin serpent- You know, when I first started this story, someone told me they didn't like the lyrics at the top. I told them I wouldn't change it, but they didn't have to read it. I'm glad I didn't change it now so that I could make someone happy.**

**righteye0604- Your wish is my command! Tada! A new chapter!**

**Steelo- I elaborated. Do they make sense now?**

**Slyzerin- Yes, Renaissance is in English too. It applies to the time period after the Middle Ages when their was an increase in learning and the arts. Also translates into "rebirth". I'm using it as a time period reference. Are you actually French or are you learning French currently? Thanks for the review!**

**supafly09- Sorry can't tell. It's a secret!**

**draco2hot4me- Thanks, and I hope you like the new chapter!**

**pheonixfeathersx3- I'm glad that suddenly people are telling me they like the lyrics. I was told at the very beginning that they annoyed someone. I didn't change it, and they stopped reviewing. It makes me happy that other people appreciate them.**


	11. Going Public

A/N-Hey guys! Long time, no update, and for that I greatly apologize. Okay, since it's been so long, this author's note is gonna be long.

As my way of apologizing, I'm going to give you guys three chapters this time on my update, so have fun and please don't kill me.

Next order of business: many of you guys said you liked the lyrics better in the middle of the chapter, so in accordance to popular demand, all lyrics will now be incorporated into the chapter. If I get any complaints, I'll just change it right back, but I won't keep switching back and forth because that stretches my sanity a little thin…and since I don't have much to begin with I'd like to keep what little I have.

In two chapters or so, I'll go into plot building overload. I've placed bits and pieces of the main direction of the story in already, but unless you have paid meticulous attention to everything I've written, odds are that you haven't caught them. Here's a few things to refresh your memory: the dream in chapter 3; Blaise being an ass, my comment that you all should remember Blaise's vow of revenge (which I hope you heeded); Draco's dad being off with Voldemort. In the next two chapters before the big bad thing happens I'll give you more hints, so read _carefully_. The story seems kind of basic to me right now, and so, being the kind of writer I am, I gotta make it complicated. Honestly, right now I don't think this story has any plot, and that bothers me.

There's people saying that stories have been deleted for responding directly to reviews, and well, this story wouldn't work if I didn't respond…okay, I really just don't like it when I can't talk to you guys about the stuff you write me. I'll continue to do so if and until I get my story deleted.

Disclaimer- HP is not mine. I earn no royalties or benefits from it, which totally bites!

Chapter 11: Going Public 

"What's so funny?" Hermione asked curtly, but she couldn't hide her smile.

"How can I not be happy when my friend is obviously more happy than she's been since she slugged Ferret-boy in 3rd year?" Harry said pointedly. "Especially since its said Ferret-boy making her so happy now?"

"That really hurt, you know?" Draco was grinning as he said it. "You put way too much in that right hook of yours."

"But it was such a good relief of stress," she laughed. "Anyway, you were being an ass that day."

"You're just so fun to argue with, and how was I supposed to know you were going to get angry enough to hit me?" he whined, making Hermione roll her eyes.

"So anyway, I assume you both realize that this will now be all over the school by tomorrow, right?" Ginny put in.

"I couldn't care less really," they said simultaneously and then laughed at the timing.

"You guys don't seem to care either," Hermione pointed out.

"You remember that day you guys went to Hogsmeade together?" Harry asked. Draco and Hermione both had a blissful look on their face. "I'll take that as a 'yes'. Well, we were faking drowsiness to make it easier for you to tell us. Just us two mind you. The others happened to actually be tired, so it was a good cover for us," he explained. "Everyone was pretty much clueless about the whole thing, but we noticed how well you guys were suddenly getting along and figured something was up."

"So you don't hate me for flirting with the enemy?" Hermione asked with great relief.

"You're the smartest one of us in the entire group. We knew that if you didn't have a problem with him, then he was okay. We trust your judgment, Hermione," Ginny said.

"What are we going to do about Ron?" Hermione enquired, the image of him storming off still clear in her mind.

"He'll cool of down eventually," Ginny assured her. Then something seemed to dawn on her and she looked less sure. "We hope…"

They continued to talk for a while until a song that they all loved came on, and they just had to get up and dance.

_Listen as the wind blows across the great divide,_

_Voices trapped in yearning,_

_Memories trapped in time,_

_The night is my companion and solitude my guide,_

Draco and Hermione were once again lost in their own little world as they spun endlessly across the dance floor.

_Would I spend forever here and not be satisfied,_

_And I would be the one to hold you down,_

_Kiss you so hard,_

_I'll take your breath away and after I'd wipe away the tears,_

What made this person so special? Why is it that this person is the one I love?

How can one hug just wipe away all the hatred we have for each other?

_Just close your eyes dear,_

_Through this world I've stumbled so many times betrayed,_

_Trying to find an honest word,_

_To find the truth enslaved,_

What turns hate to love? What could make two people so impossibly different love each other?

_Oh you speak to me in riddles and you speak to me in rhymes,_

_My body aches to breathe your breath,_

_Your words keep me alive,_

_And I would be the one to hold you down,_

As they held each other close, they contemplated the irony of the world. They contemplated each other.

_Kiss you so hard,_

_I'll take your breath away and I'll wipe away the tears,_

_Just close your eyes dear,_

_Into this night I wander,_

_It's morning that I dread,_

_Another day of knowing the path I fear to tread,_

_Oh into the sea of waking dreams,_

_I follow without pride,_

_Nothing stands between us,_

_And I won't be denied,_

_And I would be the one to hold you down,_

_Kiss you so hard,_

_I'll take your breath away and after I'd wipe away the tears,_

_Just close your eyes dear…_

(A/N- That's the best as far as mixing in I can do right now. Sorry.) The night wore away and eventually ended. They headed back up to the Heads' Common Room hand in hand.

_This feels so right, _Hermione mused._ Our hands fit together perfectly. It's as if we were made for each other._

'I wish that time had a pause button because things never stay good. Things never stay happy for me,' Draco thought glumly. 'I can at least enjoy it while it lasts.'

They stood in front of the mirror and looked at their reflections that practically glowed…actually they did glow. The mirror them were so obviously happy that it was kind of sad to see them fade into the portrait. It was Halloween in the portrait as well apparently because the Creators' Common Room was glowing orange and had pumpkins scattered everywhere. They seemed to be in the middle of a party as well because they didn't seem to notice that Draco and Hermione were watching them. Ravenclaw was the first one to respond to their presence.

"Password? Hurry it along will you? I want to get back to the festivities," said the co-founder. They both repeated the password they had said a million times over by now (A/N-Which is my excuse for not repeating it.) and entered.

"So do I get to spend the night in your room, my love?" Draco asked, only partially kidding.

"Haha, very funny. You haven't even asked me out yet, and you expect to sleep with me? I don't think so," Hermione said as she pulled him towards the couch and sat down, pulling him down beside her.

"Well, then if that's the only requirement, will you go out with me, Hermione Granger?" he asked with a smirk, placing his arms around her.

"Oh, so you will only go out with me if I sleep with you?" she said, fake-pouting. "I don't think I will." She turned away from him with her arms crossed directly under her chest, so that it gave her more cleavage and lifted her boobs up. Obviously Draco's attention was drawn to them, which gave her the excuse to say, "You're such a lecher!"

"Ah, but I'm a cute lecher!" he declared.

"That you are," she agreed, turning back to him and placing her arms around his neck. She began to rub small circles into the small of his neck, so it was only reflex for him to relax his head forward. Then, she straightened her back, so the first thing he saw was her chest. She grinned evilly as she watched him glance down the front of her dress. He was starting to get hard. "In any case," she said, suddenly standing up and completely throwing him off balance and making him fall off the couch, "I'll see you in the morning."

"Tease!" he yelled after her from the floor.

"Pervert!" she yelled back. She could hear his laughing from inside her bedroom door.

'Gods above, that woman knows how to drive a man nuts,' he thought to himself, as he got ready for bed. 'Does this mean we're _still_ not going out? Merlin, I'm so confused.'

He sat up for another few minutes pondering upon the way his world had suddenly turned upside down due to one Muggle-born witch, before heading up to bed.

He walked down the stairs from his room that morning, blearily rubbing his eyes and still wearing his pajama pants (only pajama pants mind you), but what he happened upon made him stop in his tracks and become suddenly wide-awake. Hermione was laying on her back on the couch with a book held at arms length above her, her hair flung over the armrest. She was wearing the same outfit she had worn that day in Diagon Alley. She looked so peaceful and perfect he didn't want to disturb her, but she had already heard him.

"Are you just going to stand there, or can we go down to breakfast? I'm starved!" she said, turning towards him.

"Um, er, you were waiting for me?" he stuttered as he made his way down the rest of the stairs.

"Well, yeah… I just didn't think it would be right to enter the Great Hall alone today. After all, all the students and teachers will know by now; I wanted to give a united from," she explained, though that wasn't really the reason. She had just wanted to be the first person he saw that day.

"I still need to get dressed…" he mumbled unsure of himself as only she could make him.

"I don't think anyone will care. It may gain us a few whistles though," she laughed. "Come on let's go!" She said, bouncing up from the couch and walking over to him.

"First things first. Will you go out with me?" he asked to remedy the issue she had pointed out that night.

"Of course. I'm yours for as long as you want me." She then held out her hand to him and asked, "Now can we go?"

They walked into the Great Hall holding hands tightly, as if that was the only thing that kept them in the world. The whole Hall gave out loud shouts and jeers at the sight of the new couple.

"So where are we going to sit?" Hermione whispered to him.

"I'm not sure…it would probably be best to sit with your house because at least then we have Potter and the littlest Weasel to protect us," Draco rationalized.

"Then to the Gryffindors we go!" They walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down by Harry and Ginny. Ron was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Ron?"

"Well, he was all moody this morning, and he wouldn't even talk to me last night," Harry told her.

"But Ron's stomach will still be hungry right now, so he's probably in the kitchens," Ginny deducted with reasoning of a sister who's put up with him through every mood.

"I hope he gets over it soon." Hermione didn't like the thought of loosing a friend.

"Hermione, you broke his heart. Ron is not understanding in any form of the word. It's going to take some time," Harry said not unkindly.

"You were pretty hard on him too," Ginny commented.

"He deserve—"

"Hey is it true?" asked a third-year Hufflepuff.

"Is what true?" Draco asked skeptically.

"Is Hermione pregnant?"

"WHAT! Where did you hear that?" Hermione screeched. The third-year backed up as if afraid she'd hit him.

"It's all over the school. They say Draco is going out with Hermione because he got her pregnant…" he explained.

"Who started it? Who started the rumor?" Draco asked in a threatening voice.

"I don't know. I just heard it from my friend, Alex Herbinger. Please don't hurt me!" he said as he tried to pull away from the death lock Draco had on his shirt.

"Where is this Alex Herbringer?" Hermione inquired with a sweet but venomous smile. He pointed to his friend, and the hunt began.

**A/N- So that's the 11th chapter. I'll list my review responses for the last chapter in Chapter 13 when you get there. On to Chapter12!**


	12. To Kill A Rumorbird

A/N- Here goes another one!

Disclaimer- Guess what? My name is J.K. and I own Harry Potter. I make millions a year and have a nice little house in Winchester…NOT!

Chapter 12: To Kill A Rumorbird 

_I'm sitting on a citadel_

_Contemplating life_

_Making a point to waist my time_

_I'm walking on clouds of white_

They spent the entire day track down person after person in an attempt to find out the root of the problem. Finally, by 4 o' clock they had both narrowed it down to one person:

"Pansy." They tapped the pug-faced girl on the shoulder to get her attention.

"Oh Drakie-poo! I knew you'd come back to me!" she squealed, intentionally ignoring Hermione's presence. She flung herself at Draco desperately. Hermione put her arm out just in time to have Pansy slam into it and fall backward.

"Tell me, Parkinslut. Why do you seem to be under the impression that Draco would ever want to be with you?" Hermione said in a cold voice.

"I could ask you the same thing, Mudblood!" she spat.

What if I fall? What if I don't? 

_What if I never make it home?_

"The answer to that is simple, Parkinson. Hermione is beautiful and kind and brilliant and amazing," he said putting a hand on Hermione's shoulder while she turned bright red. "You, on the other hand, are a whore and cheap and ugly. I think the choice is obvious." 

"Look, Pansy, he chose me. Get over it. Stop spreading rumors because they're not earning you any brownie points. Just get on with your life, sleep with some guys, and have a hot bath. It'll make you feel tons better," Hermione said with partial sincerity. Then an idea hit her. "Why don't you try Blaise? He's free, and I'm sure he's up to it." Draco's hand tightened on her shoulder. He knew where she was going with it, but it still might not be a good idea. Two jaded people both wanting to get back at them being placed together was a scary thought.

What if I bleed? 

_What if I break_

_And I find that I can't take_

"Just clear up the rumors, Pansy. That's all I ask." Draco grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her away from the other girl.

The city below the Citadel 

_Holding my own hand?_

"Why were you so nice to her about it?" Hermione pouted. "She gets the whole school to think that I'm pregnant, and all you do is asked her to clear up the rumors? We could have at least made her act like an idiot in front of the whole school."

"Hermione, did you even stop to think about what would happen if two people who hate us as much as Blaise and Pansy do join forces? Our lives would be made Hell, and they'd stop at nothing to ruin our relationship," Draco pointed out.

And I'm breaking on the balcony 

_Breaking window pains_

_Killing the pain of broken hearts_

_I'm walking on clouds_

Walking on stars 

"How? How would they ruin our relationship? I don't doubt you, and I would hope you don't doubt me—"

"I don't!"

"Then what could they do to us? Rumors wouldn't hurt anything. I don't see what you're so worried about."

"They both have connections to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, hun. There's a lot of damage they could do with that," he said as if that explained everything, but it didn't.

"How do you know that?" she asked naively as she stopped walking.

"My father is Lucius Malfoy, and I'm a Slytherin. We know these things."

What if I fall? 

_What if I don't?_

_What if I never make it home?_

_What if I bleed?_

_What if I break_

_And I find that I can't take_

_The city below the Citadel_

_Holding my own hand?_

"Do you guys actually boast about that kind of thing? 'The Dark Lord came over to eat dinner at my house this weekend.' Do you?" she said.

"Some do," he replied shortly. He just kept walking, never looking back at her.

"Like Zabini?"

"Yes, him too."

"Why are you being so short with me Draco? What don't you want me to know?" she cried after his retreating figure. That caused him to stop and turn. He walked back to where she was standing and locked eyes with her. She couldn't help but think he saw past her eyes to something deeper, and it shook her to no end.

I'm holding on to something 

_It's keeping me from jumping_

_I'm so afraid to go it alone_

"Hermione, there's still a lot you have to learn about me and my life, and I don't think you're ready for it yet. You saying stuff like 'Do you actually boast about that kind of stuff?' just shows you're not. Don't ask questions that you don't want the answer to. I don't want to have to keep so much from you, but I will if I must. Keep away from Zabini. Keep away from Pansy. I can't always protect you," Draco lectured.

"I'm not some defenseless child. I can take care of myself," she hissed furiously. 'How dare he think that I need protection from anyone, let alone him!' Hermione yelled inside her head.

And holding up this fortress 

_With imaginary forces_

_Longing for a life down below_

"Hermione, I don't want to get in an argument with you; I just want you safe! Is it so much to ask for you to give me the benefit of the doubt and stay away from them? Please, just for me if nothing else?" he begged, pleaded, of her.

"Okay, but only because it's you. I promise to avoid them," she surrendered.

"Good! Thank you," he said and pecked her on the lips. "So anyway, now that this is over what do you want to do?"

"I don't know. What do you want to do?"

"I don't know…what do you want to do?"

"'Now don't start that again!'" she chuckled.

"What's so funny?" he asked confused.

"It's a Muggle movie. You wouldn't understand."

What if I fall? 

_What if I don't?_

_What if I never make it home?_

_What if I bleed?_

_What if I break_

_And I find that I can't take_

_The city below the Citadel_

_Holding my own hand?_

"What's a movie?" he asked thoroughly bewildered.

"Exactly." There were things that she couldn't explain to him. It wasn't so much that he wouldn't like the answer, but just that he simply wouldn't get it. It was like describing a color to a blind person, or the melody of your favorite song to a deaf person. They could try, but they wouldn't be able to grasp it and knowing that brought a pang of sadness to her because there would always be a rift between them that way.

Standing right where they had left her, Pansy was thinking, which all of you must know took a lot of effort. "Get together with Blaise? Why not, I mean he is hot, and he's been talking about how he wants revenge on the Mudblood for some time, though he won't say for what. Don't worry, Draco. I'll save you from that evil Mudblood if it the last thing I do!"

**A/N- Next chapter!**


	13. Blaise Voldemort Evil Plots

NinetalesLuver-Thank you! I'm glad you liked my lyrics!

HermioneDracoMalfoy-Crystal, you happy now? I updated, though something's gonna happen in this chapter, and you're not gonna like it…

Alyssium-Yes…they do, but I would just like to point out that this is rated "T", so no sex will be written in, ok? (although I won't say that sexual references and 'almost's are out of the question)

LivingImpared-Cool name!

Draco2hot4me- sorry I didn't update sooner!

Queen of Duct Tape- Oh, okay, cuz you see I thought you were actually taking the tape off and sticking it to you hair, and that sounded painful, but now it all makes so much more sense…especially the posture comment. Hmmm…the knowing you're stupid still makes you stupid comment remind me of a time I said, "You're probably not going to understand what I'm just about to say, but you're idiocy knows no bounds," to this guy I re-eally despised, and he said, "What?" and my friend beside me said, "And that would be the point." Lol

Slyzerin- Thank you, and I'm writing the lyrics into the middle now like you asked.

Alexandra Warkel- I'm sorry. I let you down. I promise to update sooner next time!

Babiblue754-Dear God, but they're all going to be like 20 then! It'll be so weird! Hey, I bet Draco's even hotter by then too! Lol!

Kait1991-The 6th book totally screwed us all over! I mean not only does it remove Dumbledore, Snape, and Hogwarts in general, but it basically screams that Hermione and Ron get together, and that's no fun! Oh well…

Lilwhitney- Sorry for the update taking so long!

Zoey-lou- Lyrics are now in the middle. It's all because I love you guys so much!

Riley Malfoy- Thank you! I was hoping you guys would like the dress D

Mysteriouscharm- Yeah, I know it as fluffy, but there's got to be at least one happy chapter right?

A/N-There's all your replies. Happy reading!

Disclaimer- I plan to be a professional writer when I grow up, but that doesn't mean I'm one now, tear. Which means…I don't own Harry Potter!

Chapter 13: Blaise Plus Voldemort Equals Evil Plots 

The month of November passes with no further mishaps, and Draco and Hermione are planning for the Yule Ball next month. Everything is perfect in the happy couples relationship…sort of.

"Oh come on green, red, silver, and gold are classic Christmas colors! How can you disagree with that?" Hermione yelled, flailing her arms in frustration.

"It's not that I disagree; it's just that everyone will think it's too obvious! I mean we are the Heads and dating, but we're also the first pairing of a Gryffindor and a Slytherin that this school has ever been exposed to since Godric and Salazar stopped being best friends! They're going to think it's some weird publicity stunt!" he argued.

"Why would I want publicity! After Rita Skeeter I think I've had enough of the press, don't you?" she asked incredulously.

"Not for us, for school unity. They'd think we're pairing Gryffindor and Slytherin together as a way of showing 'See how lovely you're House Colors are when placed side by side?' and all that. There would be a rebellion!"

"How about, instead of just Gryffindor and Slytherin colors, we have all the school colors put together? Then it'd be a blatant unity statement, but not isolated to Slytherin and Gryffindor," she suggested.

_At slow speed we all seem focused  
In motion we seem wrong  
In summer we can taste the rain_

"I think that might work. We can ask Dumbledore at the next meeting." They leaned back on the couch together, his arm around her.

"When is the next meeting again?" she whispered as they stared into the fire.

"On Tuesday, love," he mumbled. He could smell the apple smell that was like a barrier around her from where he sat, and it seemed intoxicating.

_I want you to be free  
Don't worry about me  
And just like the movies  
We play out our last scene_

Little did he know he had the same effect on her. The vanilla musk and chocolate smell that had become her security blanket enveloped her, and she knew she couldn't be happier than she was at that moment, or she might burst. "You know I love you, right?"

"I would hope so, or I'm going to be rather broken hearted when you leave me. It's not Ron, is it? You're leaving me for Ron?" he joked.

"I can't believe you would ever think that!" she said as if scandalized. She was really over acting. "Are you going to leave me?" she asked dangerously but with a huge grin on her face.

Two can play this game  
We both want power  
In winter we can taste the pain

"Never, my darling! Let's ride off into the sunset together!" he announced. They both broke out in tumultuous laughter.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think sunsets are my style," she said through her laughter.

"Me neither. I'm more of fireworks at midnight kind of guy."

_In our short years, we come long way  
To treat it bad and throw away _

And that's when the door exploded.

Hermione screamed, and Draco pulled out his wand to point it at the dust-clouded porthole.

_I want you to be free  
Don't worry about me  
And just like the movies  
We play out our last scene_

They heard a high-pitched, hissing voice say, "Find them," and everything seemed to go in slow motion after that. Death Eaters streamed in the door, and the first one was Lucius Malfoy. When he saw Hermione and Draco together on the couch, he yelled, "_Crucio_!" and there was a second scream, but this time it wasn't from Hermione. Draco was writhing on the ground from pain. Hermione tried to let out another scream, but one of the Death Eaters had cast a Silencing Charm on her. That's when she saw him. Blaise Zabini, flanking Voldemort, stepped into view. He wore a devilish grin and was holding hands with none other than Pansy Parkinson. She squealed when she saw what state Draco was in, but Blaise held her back.

_You won't cry, I won't scream_

"No, love. First we take the Mudblood, then you can have your fun with Draco," he ordered not unkindly. A cold shudder ran down Hermione's spine.

_  
In our short years we come long way  
To treat it bad and throw away  
And if we make a little space  
A science fiction showcase  
In our short film, a love disgrace  
Dream a scene to brighten face  
In our short years we come long way  
To treat it bad, just to throw it away_

"DRACO!" she tried to yell, but no sound came out. Over and over again, she screamed his name, but to no avail. He couldn't hear her, no one did. And this time she didn't wake up.

_I want you to be free  
Don't worry about me  
And just like the movies  
We play out our last scene_

**A/N- Okay, I know this chapter was super short, but well, the next part is better saved for the next chapter. You know I love you guys, right? Well then REVIEW!**


	14. Break the Lion

A/N-I hope some of my old, faithful fans are still there. This chapter has been long in coming, and I think I've held you in suspense long enough. I just couldn't seem to find appropriate songs for this next part, but the problem is solved. HAPPY NEW YEAR! On we go.

Disclaimer- I wonder if they sell stock shares of Harry Potter because that's the only way I can claim I own any of it.

**Chapter 14: Break the Lion**

_Just thought I'd take a little bit of your pain("echos" quietly in the background)_

_She Want Me... Now_

She woke up with a splitting headache. The nightmare gripped her and her terror made her skin ripple with goosebumps. The second I open my eyes everything will be back to normal, Hermione thought insistingly. The moment that I see my room and my books around me, I'll know it never happened.

She opened her eyes with the prayer repeating in her mind. She looked up and saw, not her bed's canopy, but a grimy stone ceiling covered with lichen. A scream escaped her lips, and she heard a door open.

_Your mind won't let you say that you want me_

_Your mind won't ever, never let you say what you want_

_You howl and wail like a banshee_

_Still your mind won't ever let you say_

_Your mind won't let you say that you want me_

_Your mind won't ever, never let you say what you want_

_My little tired devotee_

_Your mind won't even let you feel_

"Good, you're up," said a male voice obviously belonging to the person who had opened the door. She tried to turn in order to know who it was, but discovered something was holding her back. Spells had been cast to keep her in place. "Now we can have some fun." The malice in his (whoever he was) made another scream raise in her throat, but she held this one back. She could not, would not, let this person get the satisfaction of hearing her scream again. He came into view. "Hello, Hermione." Blaise.

"Why would you do this? How could you surrender Hogwarts to Voldemort? We've left you alone since then," she asked in a quavering voice.

"You humilated me, Mudblood. Twice. Why couldn't you just be a good little girl, and play by my rules? Then we wouldn't be in this situation. If you would have just complied like one befitting your station and given me what I wanted, you may not have ever needed to feel the pain that I will now be forced to give you," he taunted with feigned sadness.

"And what exactly do you pressume is my station, Blaise?" she snapped with venom.

_Quivering now, shivering now, withering_

_Your mind won't let you say that you're_

_Wondering now, pondering now, hungering_

_Won't let you say that you're_

_Questioning, wavering, weakening_

_Your mind won't let you say that you're_

_Hearkening, listening, heeding me now_

_Won't let you say that you want_

"A filthy, dirt-stained, Mudblood bookworm who's whole life revolves around the demented fools in the Order," he stated as if it was purely fact. Maybe, to him, it was. The door opened and closed again. He turned to someone I could not see and said, "Master, what a pleasant surprise. To what do I owe this visit?"

A high-pitched voice said, "I want to play with the Mudblood. I see she has no blood on her skin, which means you are being too soft with her, and in any case, I know you would not assume that you would get first rights to our new toy before me."

"Never, my lord. I suppose I shall just leave you to the task at hand," he murmured.

"Nonsense. You must stay and learn the proper way to deal with filth like her," hissed Voldemort. She began to struggle against her bonds in a futal attempt to protect herself from the monster. When he came into her view as he stared down at her, an unholy glee filled his eyes. He raised his wand, and then all there was, was pain.

_Your mind won't let you say that you want me_

_Your mind won't ever, never let you have what you want_

_I feel your hunger to taste me_

_Still your mind won't ever let you say_

_Your kind is just the type that should use me_

_But your mind wont seem to let you have_

_The opportunity to abuse me_

_Your mind won't even let you feel_

Draco had awoken in a similar fashion, save that he was in a room that looked like his room, but wasn't.

"Hello, honeybun. How are you feelin'?" asked an all too familiar voice.

"Pansy, where is she? Where is Hermione?" he asked, his voice begging for information. He could almost hear her pout.

"Why do you care about that piece of trash anyway? Why would you want her when you could have me?"

"Because she is everything you're not. Because she's beautiful and brilliant and fiery. Because there's no one else like her. Because I love her," he said while his heart constricted in his chest. What was happening to the love of his life? He could feel that something was wrong with every fiber of his being.

"By the time Blaise is done with her she'll be as brilliant and fiery as a rock," she laughed. "He'll break her until there's nothing left of her save the outer she'll, which won't be very beautiful anymore for that matter."

Terror gripped him with every fiber of his being. Blaise had her. Blaise was beyond dead if ever they met again. If that traiter hurt her he wouldn't even have time to cry out in pain. He had Hermione.

_Quivering now, shivering now, withering_

_Your mind won't let you say that you're_

_Wondering now, pondering now, hungering_

_Won't let you say that you're_

_Questioning, wavering, weakening_

_Your mind won't let you say that you're_

_Hearkening, listening, heeding me now_

_Won't let you say that you want... me_

Blaise would have taken her to the House. Voldemort would want a turn with her since she represented everything that he hated. He had to get her. Nothing in this world would stop him. Definitely not Pansy.

_Savor the addiction, savor the affliction_

_Savor me_

Hermione's world had reduced to the never-ending pain and her blood painted vision. If she was screaming, she didn't know. Her brain processed only pain, and she couldn't think to move or escape. Her body felt like it was being ripped to shreds, one piece at a time. Even after the curse was removed, the pain continued to be unrelenting. Then one thought broke through.

Draco.

_Savor the addiction, savor the affliction, now_

_Savor the addiction, savor the affliction_

_Savor me_

Where was he? Was he in as much pain as she was? Was he even alive? Did he think about her? All that seemed to matter was Draco. He was her saving grace. She thought, 'As long as I have Draco, I can get through it.' No matter how petty and childish the words seemed, he was her only hope.

_Savor the addiction, savor the affliction_

_Savor the addiction, savor the affliction_

_Savor me_

_Savore me_

_Get it_

Then just as suddenly as it had come, the pain seemed to melt away until it was completely irrelevant. She didn't know exactly when she stopped feeling the pain, but when her hearing returned, she heard herself chanting, "Draco will come. Draco will come. Draco will come," quietly to herself.

"What are you whimpering about, filth?" Blaise snarled.

_Your mind won't let you say that you want me_

_Get it_

Her mind hardened into sheer hatred for the man in front of her. In her eyes, this supposedly handsome man was uglier than her trailer-park-dwelling cousin, Albert, with buck-teeth and a face consumed by acne. How could someone so hideous call _her_ filth?

She remained silent.

"I asked you a question, Mudblood," he snarled.

"Why the hell do you care what I'm 'whimpering' about? Don't you have better things to do than play with dirt?" she inquired icily.

_Your mind won't let you say that you want me_

_Get it_

She watched him set his jaw, and in two long strides, he came to the bed and slapped her.

"Oh no, you slapped me. I am quivering in feel," she drawled monotonously.

"You don't want me angry with you, Granger. That is the last thing you want," he warned.

"Oh, but you have to wait for your masters permission to touch me, _dearest_ Blaise," said Hermione with a slightly crazy grin.

"But I shall have my turn." With that he turned on his heel and stalked out the door.

_Your mind won't let you say that you want me_

Draco was just dwelling on the many ways he'd destroy Blaise before he killed him when the door of the dorm room burst open.

"Mr. Malfoy, I believe we have a student to retrieve," said Snape.

_Because Your mind won't let you say that you want me, don't want me_

'Maybe God doesn't hate me as much as I thought he did,' Draco thought to himself.

Snape pointed his wand at the magic bonds and suddenly he could move. "You can thank me later."

_Your mind won't let you say that you want me, don't want me_

"Professor, do you have any idea where Hermione is?" he asked, rubbing his wrists.

"Vaguely," he replied. Pointing his wand at Pansy, who was trying to slip away unnoticed, he hissed, "Where do you think your going, Miss Parkinson?"

_Your mind won't let you say that you want me, don't want me_

"I was just...uh...oh shit," she cursed.

"Quite. You will stay here until I am prepared to escort you to the Headmaster," he ordered.

_Your mind won't let you say that you want me, don't want me_

"She knows where they are, I'll bet," Draco suggested.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said a little too fast.

_What do you want?_

_What do you want?_

"I'm sure I can locate some Veritsaserum for her."

_What do you want?_

_What do you want?_

**A/N- I would love to be able to address a response to each reviewer, but I just don't have the time. So thank you to: GoddessofDestiny419, proudhpreader (not dead, see?), chocolate dreams, Slyzerin, his-lil-shortie, BadLilMe, and last but not least (cuz you've read for so long) Steelo.**


	15. Frustration

A/N- There has been quite a few requests from my reviewers as to exactly where these songs come from, so from beginning to end, the names of the artists are: System of a Down, Evanescence, Orgy, Alanis Morisette, Sarah McLachlan, Coldplay, Barenaked Ladies, Alanis Morisette, DC Talk, Rasputina, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (last two came off of the Buffy sound track), Sarah McLachlan, Anna Nalic, (can't find the lyrics for ch. 13, sorry), Disturbed, No Doubt and that brings us up to date.

**My friend, HermioneDracoMalfoy, is writing a fic, which I will be co-writing, called "Why Me?" It's Draco and a character she made up named Bayleigh. Bayleigh is a punk chick, who despises Draco and is a pureblood. It's AU for the most part as Lucius is not in jail and has the whole "secretly arranged marriage" theme going for it. Check it out please, or I shall be highly insulted.**

Thank you all for your reviews! I now have 130! YAY! I love you guys! Keep them coming!

Disclaimer- I hope to get published some day, but I haven't yet, so obviously NOT MINE!

**Chapter 15: Frustration**

Draco could do nothing but sit and wait for Snape to return with the potion, except maybe pace, and that he did until Pansy wished she could cast a Petrificus Totalus on him to stop him from moving, but of course, she couldn't. They had tied her to the bed to make sure she stayed put; they also took her wand so she couldn't free herself.

He was going insane every second. Hermione could be dying or being tortured or almost anything, and he in his present state could do nothing to stop it but wait. Oh how terribly their two stars had aligned to place upon them such a fate. Destiny had yet to reveal all the cards yet dealt, but if this is any prediction of things to come, it would not be good.

_Trapped in a box of tremendous size_

_It distorts my vision, it closes my eyes_

_Attracts filthy flies and pollutes in the skies_

_Sucks up our lives and proliferates lies_

_Trapped in a box_

Snape finally returned with the clear liquid known as Veritserum. Pansy eyed it with disdain. Draco could see her willing herself to keep quiet, to give away nothing, but no one can resist Veritserum at full potency.

"Plug her nose," Snape ordered. Draco complied while not even trying to hide his disgust at the thought of having to touch her. Pansy attempted to keep her mouth closed tight, but eventually had to open to admit air. They shoved the vial between her lips and forced her to drink. When she had consumed a sufficient amount, they pulled the vial away, and Snape asked, "Where is she?"

"She who?" Pansy said with a smirk. Since he had not asked a direct question, she could still resist.

"Where is Hermione Granger?" Draco asked through gritted teeth.

_Trapped in a box, four walls as sky_

_Got a screen for a window about two feet wide_

_My mind rides and slides as my circuits are fried_

_No room for thought, use the box as my guide_

_Trapped in a box_

"The Mudblood is with Voldemort," she spat.

"Where is Voldemort?" Snape growled. At this point, they both were losing their temper.

"At the Riddle House, of course," Pansy drawled in reply. They could see anger in her eyes. She had given up fighting as they mist-clouded mind prevented thought, but she still knew she shouldn't be saying these things, and yet she was.

Snape took a sharp breath. The chances of them getting Hermione out of the Riddle house safely were almost nothing.

"Come along, Mr. Malfoy. I believe we must speak to Dumbledore," he said and turned towards the door. Draco followed silently.

They heard Pansy shriek, "But what about me?" before they closed the door behind them.

_Trapped in a box_

_Watch the world as it flocks_

_To life's paradox_

_We're all trapped in a box_

They didn't talk much on the way to the Headmaster's office, but then, what was there to say? There was little to no chance of retrieving Hermione alive, but Draco would not give up that easily. He would not just let her stay it that torture chamber, no matter what the Headmaster had to say.

"Peach chutney," came the muttered password. The gargoyle slid to the side to reveal the winding staircase. It seemed just yesterday that Draco had stood on these same steps with Hermione on their first report to Dumbledore over the dances.

He remembered her standing there in all her fierce Gryffindor beauty with the scent of apples drifting down to him while the rotating steps elevated them to the office they had grown to know well. Their fate that day would have been different if not for her fast thinking. They would have made fools of themselves, and somehow he knew that Dumbledore knew it just as they did.

Now she was gone, to a place unreachable by revolving staircases or wit. He refused to believe she was gone forever, but the thought that he would never see her face again made his heart ache relentlessly. He would bring her back, but he was unsure that they may ever find peace again, though he would try.

_Trapped in a box I'm not alone_

_I know of others with a box as their home_

_Light only enters from a crack or a hole_

_This is not enough for a human to grow_

_Trapped in a box_

"Enter," said a voice inside the room. "Ah, Severus, Mr. Malfoy, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Hermione's been--" Draco started only to be cut off by Snape.

"Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy were attacked by Death Eaters in their common room, Headmaster," Snape started. "Malfoy was taken to Miss Parkinson's dorm room after being placed under the Cruciatus Curse to the point of losing consciousness. Miss Granger has been taken to the Riddle House. We can assume they mean to torture her."

Dumbledore's expression darkened as the speech went on. His eyes began to flick back and forth as he considered the information. Draco hoped that he was able to see some way through this predicament.

"Bring in Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, please," Dumbledore instructed.

"Right away, sir," said Snape and left.

_Trapped in a box_

_Watch the world as it flocks_

_To life's paradox_

_We're all trapped in a box_

After Professor Snape's exit, the room was filled with complete silence. Dumbledore had receded into his thoughts, and Draco was hard put not to interrupt him. He just couldn't stand the thought of being forced to stand there and wait while Hermione was in pain. There was no doubt in him that she wasn't; he just hoped she wasn't broken.

Images of Hermione flashed through his head. Hermione eating and reading at the same time. Hermione furious at the indignation of a less than perfect grade on her test. Hermione exhausted on the couch after a long day of planning for a dance. Hermione smiling at him over two butterbeers in Hogsmeade. Hermione seducing and then cursing Blaise with that secretive grin on her face. Hermione's eyes flicking to him from across the Great Hall. Hermione screaming at him for leaving his sweaty practice jersey draped over the couch... again. Hermione screaming his name as the curse hit him. Hermione falling to the ground unconscious. Hermione jerking awake, shouting his name, after a dream on the Hogwarts express.

_Always wanting a different view_

_Instant gratification for you_

_Reality gone in a single click_

_Just hope that that switch won't stick_

By the time Harry and Ron appeared in the office, all he wanted to do was apparate to the House and kill everyone in his way. All he wanted was Hermione there with him safe.

Ron took one look at him sitting there and yelled, "WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS HE DOING HERE?"

Draco had his wand out and aimed at the Weasel before he even registered a thought.

"Mr. Malfoy, if you would please place that away," said Dumbledore calmly. "Mr. Weasley has every right to exist in this world as you do." Draco complied.

"I'm sorry, Professor. I'm just a bit on edge is all," he mumbled.

"Quite all right, I'm sure," the Headmaster assured him.

_Trapped in a box my life becomes void_

_All I thought for myself is now destroyed_

_Controlling my mind, what to eat, what to buy_

_Subliminal rules: how to live, how to die_

_Trapped in a box_

"It is not all right! HE TRIED TO BLOODY KILL ME!" Ron shouted.

"Mr. Weasley, please quiet down. We have to inform you of something that has to do with Miss Granger," he said.

"What did you do to her?" Ron accused.

"Mr. Weasley, he didn't _do_ anything. Miss Granger was taken by Voldemort," Dumbledore told him.

"You sold her out, didn't you?" Ron snarled.

Snape said, "_Silencio_."

_Trapped in a box_

_Watch the world as it flocks_

_To life's paradox_

_We're all trapped in a box_

"What happened to Hermione, Professor?" Harry said, opening his mouth for the first time since he had entered the room.

Snape repeated the description again. Draco could see the resolve setting in Harry to get her back as it had in him. The only thing that kept him from being jealous, which at this point would be a very dangerous thing, was the knowledge that Harry loved Ginny and that he was more or less driven by the need to get his sister back. That he could handle. It was about all he could handle.

"I would appreciate it if you did not inform anyone outside of the Order about what has happened. We will send out a rescue party as soon as we can formulate a safe plan of escape. You are dismissed." Draco couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was he really expected to just walk away?

"Yes, Headmaster," agreed Harry. When he noticed Draco hadn't moved from his spot, he whispered to him, "Just come with me and act like we understand."

Draco raised his eyebrow ever so slightly, but complied.

Once they were all out the door, Harry started, "So here's what we're going to do..."

**A/N- Sorry it took me so long to update...again. Thank you to all who reviewed! I love you guys!**


	16. I Wont Give In

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, and I'm female so I'm obviously not a member of Audioslave. Sorry.

**Chapter 16: I Won't Break**

'God, ifyou exist, save me...please,' thought the poor helpless girl. She was tied to the bed and just waiting for something to happen. She had been there for what seemed like forever in her mind, and the only thing that kept her stable was the thought of the boy she loved with pale, pale hair that smelled of vanilla musk and chocolate.

**_Roll me on your frozen fields_**

"Heh heh, how's my little Gryffindor pet today, hm?Blaise leered.

"Can't you just leave me alone? Why do you hate me so?" she whispered in a voice as clear as she could make it.**_  
_**

**_Break my bones to watch them heal_**

"All I wanted was to see if mudbloods taste differently than purebloods. Is that so much to ask? But no, you wouldn't even give me the time of day, and then what's worse is you turned to that blood traitor, Malfoy, and I, we, had to watch. If you would have just taken me and if Malfoy had just been satisfied with Pansy, none of this would have happened. But let's stop talking about what if'sshall we? Let's return to the situation at hand." He stopped the pacing he had started somewhere in the middle of his pacing. "You no longer have a choice as to whether or not you will obey me. You are mine now... well actually to be honest you are Voldemort's. He claimed first dibs, but once he's done, you're mine." He stalked out of the room, and Hermione lost consciousness once again.**_  
_**

**_Drown me in your thirsty veins_**

Back at Hogwarts, Harry, Ron, and Draco were putting together the most in-depth plan Harry had ever developed... meaning he had actually thought about it for once.Harry was truly scared for once; it wasn't himself in trouble, it was Hermione. One of the people he treasured most because she was his friend, and he would not let Voldemort hurt her.

**_Where I'll watch and I'll wait_**

"Draco, I'm relying on you to find her. We're pretty sure he took her to your mansion, so you would know the enemy territory best. Where do you think they'd take her?" Harry said.

"Either to the dungeons or the South-West Wing," Draco replied.

**_And pray for the rain_**

Okay, Ron and I will cause a distraction in the northern corner of the house while you try to get to her as fast as possible," he decided. "We'll try not to get killed."

"Good, 'cause Hermione would take it on me if you were killed, and I really don't want to know how creative she can be when she's royally pissed." They joined a collective, understanding laugh, but it was half-hearted because of the subject matter.

**_Curl like smoke and breathe again_**

"If you don't save her, and we do die, I swear right now I will haunt your ass, Malfoy," Ron swore completely serious.

"My ass won't be alive if she isn't. I can tell you that much," he said.

"Good, then we don't have a problem, eh?"

**_Down your throat inside your ribs_**

"What's the easiest way in?" Harry asked.

**_Through your spine in every nerve_**

"Servant's Quarters, especially since if I tell them to, the house elves can't say anything to my father," Draco said with all confidence.

**_Where I watch and I wait and yield to the hurt_**

"What's the way we'll, Ron and I'll, have to take once we're in?"

**_And if you don't believe _**

"Take the first left, then follow that corridor until you reach a fork marked with a statue of the Malfoy family crest, then turn right. When you reach the portrait of my mother, open it like you would a sliding door. That hallway will be pitch dark, but don't light your wands because the wards on the house will tell my father if there's any unauthorized magic, so run your hand along the left wall and follow the corridors it will lead you to. When you come to another dead-ended hallway with a portrait covering it. Push it open and sneak out of it quietly because the North Wing is my father's. Once you are there, wreak whatever havoc you can, and try to avoid getting caught, though if you get a chance to kill someone take it. It's no less what they'd do for you. Now repeat that back to me."Harry did, with only a few mistakes, and Draco corrected them. Soon they determined they were ready.

**_The sun will rise_**

"So how will we get out of Hogwarts?" Draco asked, which resulted in loud, sudden laughter from Harry and Ron.

**_Stand alone and greet _**

"Would you believe it? I had almost forgotten he was new to our scemes?" Ron laughed.

**_Underneath your waves_**

"No, worries, Malfoy. We've got that covered since third year!" Harry grinned. "You remember that time in Hogsmeade when you kept getting pegged by snowballs, seemingly out of nowhere?" He waited for Draco to nod. "That was me under an Invisibility Cloak." He waited for this to sink in.

**_Where you watch and wait_**

"Oh," was all he said.

**_And pray for the day_**

"So no that everyone knows the plan, let's go get the map and cloak and get out of here," Harry decided.

**_Seven moons and seven suns_**

"...Map?"**_  
_**

**_Heaven waits for those who run_**

"You'll see."**_  
_**

**_Down your winter and_**

"What are you thinking about, Mudblood?" asked Blaise.**_  
_**

**_Underneath your waves_**

"The people I love," she replied calmly.**_  
_**

**_Where you watch and wait_**

"What's the point of that? They won't be coming for you," he said.**_  
_**

**_And pray for the day_**

"It isn't a question of whether or not they'll come, cause they will. It's a question of if they'll make it," she said quite evenly. "They would die trying or die of guilt if they don't free me. If you had true friends you'd know that." That earned her a slap from Blaise.**_  
_**

**_And if you don't believe_**

"Don't presume you know whether or not I have friends, filthy Mudblood! They just aren't idiots like your's!" To his further upset, she didn't make a sound when he hit her, and she didn't even cry. 'She really does believe they'll come,' he thought in wonder. "Why do you think they'll come for you so strongly?" he whispered.**_  
_**

**_The sun will rise_**

"What else do I have to believe in?" she whispered just as quietly. "I know them in my heart and head. Ron will be so furious that he will blame Draco, but Harry will calm him and tell him that together they have a chance and that Draco could help them. Dumbledore will say they need to stay. They won't listen, and they'll find a way. They always find a way." She smiled then, and the motion seemed foreign to her. What did it mean to be happy? It seemed an eternity since she was the young school girl walking and laughing with her friends.**_  
_**

**_Stand alone and greet_**

He watched her then, as she fell asleep. He had been told not to touch her, and he wouldn't. Well, okay, that slap didn't count. He was lost inside his own head. Why wasn't she breaking? Why did she still fiercely believe in them. It had been two days, and no one had come for her. What kept her sane?**_  
_**

**_The coming night_**

A sharp pain in his arm interrupted his thoughts. His master was calling. His thoughts about her would have to wait until later because Voldemort sure as hell wouldn't. He left the room without a second thought to the mudblood on the bed.**_  
_**

**_In the last remaining light

* * *

_**

**_A/N-This is technically one of the longest chapters I've written. It's longer than a few with only one song and most of the words attributed to the actual story. I'm rather proud of myself. lol. Read, review, scream at me for taking so long, just let me know if you like the chapter afterwards. _**


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